Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Servants of the Sith
by Dr. Holocron
Summary: When General Grievous abandons the Separatists and flees into Wild Space, Asajj Ventress is sent to locate him. As she tracks him to a familiar world, they are both faced with enemies from their pasts, as well as a test of loyalty to their Sith master. (CW: Extreme Violence)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Serenno - Present

"Failure."

Dooku's anger was apparent. Ventress could sense it. Grievous could hear it in his voice.

"Millions of credits…months of preparation…all for a simple failure."

Their loss at Kamino had been a public embarrassment. Dozens of worlds were losing faith in the Separatists and turning towards the Republic. The war was becoming more one-sided with each battle.

"No DNA sample…no substantial damage…not even a single Jedi casualty…nothing."

Grievous interjected.

"Thousands of clones are dead. Their hatcheries are destroyed."

After a brief pause, Dooku looked up from his desk.

"I expected as much."

He then stood up from his throne and approached Grievous.

"However, I did not order you to simply kill clones. I ordered you to halt their production. Which you clearly didn't."

Grievous tried diverting Dooku's frustration.

"Neither did your assassin."

Dooku's gaze shifted to Ventress.

"…Ventress did ultimately fail…and there will be consequences…"

Ventress remained calm as he continued.

"But if the reports from the surviving droids are to be believed, she did manage to secure a sample of the clone template before being intercepted."

He turned back to Grievous.

"Meanwhile, you barely left a dent in the clones' barracks. The battle droids caused more damage than you did."

Ventress smirked.

"Perhaps the General was too busy trying to impress me…"

Grievous snorted.

"Don't flatter yourself. I was merely distracted."

Dooku's voice deepened.

"Distracted by _what_ , General?"

Grievous knew the Count was out of patience. He gave his answer carefully.

"…The Jedi Kenobi."

Dooku gave a heavy sigh as he turned away from Grievous.

"General…I brought you into our ranks so you could kill Jedi. But since the Battle of Hypori, you've only managed to kill one. Fisto, Koth, Gallia, Kenobi, Skywalker's Padawan…all of them were able to escape you."

Grievous spoke under his breath.

"They'd be dead if this body worked properly."

" _What_?"

Dooku turned back to Grievous, his eyes wide as if daring the General to continue.

He did.

"This body's combat systems only function periodically. Half the time, my joints will lock up and limit my movements, forcing me to retreat. You told me this body would make me stronger. But it's only made it harder for me to fight."

Dooku's eyes narrowed as he turned away again.

"Perhaps. But I sense another reason for your poor performance."

In an instant, Dooku had his lightsaber drawn and pointed at Grievous's face. Grievous flinched at the sight of its blood red blade.

"Your lack of focus."

With equal speed, Dooku withdrew the lightsaber and returned it to its holster. He continued while facing Grievous.

"I've been observing your behavior during combat. Your mind will often wander and make you lose track of your opponents. Perhaps you are preoccupied with current events? Or maybe…"

Dooku looked at one of the holsters in Grievous's cape. He noticed something familiar inside it.

"…something more personal?"

Before Grievous could react, Dooku reached out with the Force and plucked the object from the holster. Grievous froze as Dooku studied the object in his hand.

"A Lig sword…Now why would you have one of _these_ with you?"

Grievous's surprise turned to anger.

"Give it back."

"First, you will answer my question."

"I said give it back!"

Grievous lunged at the Count. But before he could strike, a surge of electricity ripped through his body. He collapsed on the floor as smoke poured from his innards.

"It is as I suspected. You've been thinking about _Kalee_ again, haven't you?"

Grievous couldn't answer. His gut-sack felt like it was on fire.

"I told you to put those memories aside or else they'd hinder your progress. But it seems you did not heed my warning."

With the pain finally subsiding, Grievous was able to push himself up off the floor. He spoke through spasms of coughing.

"Give it…back…"

"That is out of the question now. I've given you ample opportunity to refocus yourself, and yet you remain tethered to your past. If you will not break your ties with Kalee, then I will. I didn't want to do this, General. But you've left me no choice."

Dooku approached his desk and activated a holoprojector. It displayed footage of a chamber filled with Kaleesh statues and artifacts.

"My lair?"

Dooku then spoke into a communicator on his wrist.

"B-183. Are you in position?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Then commence the operation."

"As you wish."

Suddenly, the chamber's main entrance opened, revealing a small squad of battle droids. And upon entering the chamber, they opened fire.

"No!"

Grievous could only watch as his most prized possessions were reduced to rubble. Countless works of art…centuries of Kaleesh history…gone.

"What have you done?!"

"I've given you focus. Your days of living in the past are over."

Dooku held up the Lig sword.

"I will dispose of this weapon, along with any other Kaleesh artifacts in your possession. Qymaen jai Sheelal is dead. You are General Grievous."

"No."

"What?"

" _No._ "

His combat systems ready, Grievous drew two lightsabers from his cape. He then blocked the Count's lightning as he leapt across the floor and lunged at his opponent. Dooku could feel Grievous' raw strength as he blocked the General's lightsabers with his own.

Drawing her weapons as well, Ventress attacked Grievous from behind, only for him to block her with his extra pair of arms. Grievous then pushed his opponents back and spun his four lightsabers rapidly. While Dooku was distracted, Grievous grabbed the Count's head with his foot and slammed it into his desk. Dooku fell to the floor, writhing in pain as Grievous reclaimed his Lig sword.

Ventress attacked again. But with his joints locking up, Grievous was forced to evade her and make his escape. Her master incapacitated, Ventress had no choice but to pursue the General herself. She could barely keep up with him as he leapt and crawled through the palace halls.

Eventually, she chased him to the outside walkway, where his personal ship was waiting. Despite her best efforts, Grievous was able to enter the Soulless One and activate its engines. As he began to take off, Ventress reached out with the Force and attempted to force him down. But once he activated the hyperdrive, his ship shot off and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Ventress could only stand in the middle of the walkway and feel humiliated. As she contemplated her next move, she was contacted by Dooku.

"Ventress! Where is Grievous?!"

She took a deep breath and reluctantly answered.

"He's…gone, Master."

…

As Grievous flew through the endless void of hyperspace, he looked down at his Lig sword and realized what he was doing.

He was leaving everything behind. Dooku, the Separatists, the war…everything.

There was no turning back now.

And he knew exactly where he was going.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Kalee - 30 Years Ago

"Careful, Qymaen."

"I know, dad."

Qymaen had always wanted to go hunting. And his father Nollus figured his eighth birthday would be a good time to start. Late afternoon wasn't an ideal time for finding prey, but luckily they'd found a lone mumuu searching for food. The mumuu had stabbed a tree with its tusks and was using its tongues to lick up the sap inside. Meanwhile, Qymaen and Nollus were lying in wait.

Nollus had lent his son the Sheelal family Lig sword, which had been passed down from generation to generation. Since Qymaen wasn't old enough for combat training, hunting mumuus would be a good way for him to start practicing with the sword. Though Nollus couldn't help but be nervous.

"Keep the blade pointed away from you."

"I know."

"And don't lose grip of the handle."

"Got it."

"Remember to aim for its belly."

"Dad. I know."

"And don't step on any…"

"Dad! Can you please let me concentrate?"

"Sorry. I just want to make sure that…"

"Shhh!"

The mumuu stopped for a moment to listen. Once the noise passed, it returned to its meal. Qymaen had been watching and waiting for nearly an hour. He was ready to strike.

With the Lig sword ready, he slowly peaked out from behind the thick foliage. Nollus spoke up once more.

"Qymaen?"

Qymaen looked at his father impatiently. And his father smiled.

"Don't worry. You've got this."

Qymaen smiled back and nodded to his father before making his move.

He slowly approached the mumuu while avoiding the twigs and branches on the ground. He could see the animal's hearts beating through its transparent underbelly. Once he was close enough, he started lifting the blade towards the mumuu's stomach. But before he could pierce its skin, a stick snapped beneath his foot.

Startled, the mumuu emitted a sharp cry from its throat sack and began to run away. Thinking fast, Qymaen leapt at the mumuu and grabbed onto its thick hide, holding on as it charged into the forest. Nollus was shouting something, but Qymaen could barely hear him over the stomping of the animal's hooves.

As the mumuu gained speed, Qymaen kept his head down to avoid the passing branches. He could hear the creature panting and see its flexible spine bending with every sharp turn. Digging in with his claws, Qymaen was able to crawl down towards the mumuu's belly. He held the Lig sword tight as he aimed for the animal's organs.

But then, in an instant, his ear drums were ringing. And the next thing he knew, he and the mumuu were both on the ground.

While covering his ears, Qymaen stood back up and checked on the animal. Its head had exploded, leaving a mess of blood and brains in the grass. With most of the skin blown off, Qymaen could see a hole in the mumuu's exposed skull. As his ears stopped ringing, he heard someone yelling.

"Hey! Get away from there!"

Qymaen turned around and saw four other Kaleesh children coming towards him. They were all older than him and carrying blaster rifles. Once they reached Qymaen, the oldest of them spoke.

"You didn't touch it, did you?"

Qymaen was confused.

"Touch it? I was about to _kill_ it."

Two of the children snickered. The oldest continued.

"Kill it? With _that_ sword? And _those_ claws? You couldn't even kill a _calf_."

The other children chuckled.

Qymaen was getting angry.

"I _would've_ killed it if you hadn't _shot_ it! I was watching it for almost an _hour_!"

The oldest child crossed his arms.

"Look. Tell you what. We'll let you take a piece of it before we take it back with us. Deal?"

Qymaen started yelling.

"No! _I'm_ taking it! It's _mine_!"

One of the other children whispered.

"No _wonder_ his mom didn't want him…"

Qymaen's heart stopped. His body tensed. His hands clenched into fists. And in a split second, he was on top of the other child. As they struggled on the ground, the rest of the children tried pulling them apart. But Qymaen wouldn't let go.

He screamed while scratching the child's face.

"Take it back! Take it back _now_!"

But just as he drew blood, he heard his father's voice.

"Qymaen! Stop!"

Nollus then ran up to Qymaen and grabbed him by his shoulders. Once he'd pulled him off, the other child stood back up and wiped the blood from their face. Nollus tried to calm his son down while the rest of the children ran off.

"Qymaen, please…"

But Qymaen pulled away from his father and yelled at him.

"Why did you do that?!"

"They had _blasters_ , Qymaen!"

"It was _my_ fight!"

"You could've been killed!"

"I don't care!"

Tears appeared in his eyes.

"They talked about mom! They said she…"

He stopped. And as he started to cry, Nollus gave him a hug.

Qymaen dropped the Lig sword and buried his face in his father's tunic. He hadn't cried like this since his mother had left nearly a year ago.

Once he calmed down, Nollus wiped the tears from his face and looked him in the eyes.

"Qymaen…I know you're angry. And I know you miss her. I do too. I think about her every day."

Qymaen looked down at the ground.

"But you can't keep getting into fights like this. One day, you're going to pick a fight with the wrong person. And they're going to hurt you."

Qymaen's eyes narrowed as he looked at the Lig sword.

"Then I'll hurt them more…"

Nollus sighed.

He'd tried to protect Qymaen. He'd tried to control his outbursts. But he couldn't shelter him forever.

He had to find an outlet for his son's anger.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Wild Space - Present

"Ventress. Report."

"I'm nearing the Kalee system. No sign of him yet, Master."

"Keep searching. He's unpredictable in this state."

"Yes, Master. I will contact you once I've located him."

Dooku hung up.

Ventress sighed.

She'd come to expect the worst from her master. So it was a relief whenever he didn't resort to physical punishment.

There was still bruising around her neck from when she'd failed her mission on Teth. And she was sure there'd be more for her failure to stop Grievous. Though fortunately, Dooku had only issued a verbal reprimand before sending her to locate the General.

Ventress had always found Grievous insufferable. But after his latest outburst, she was ready to kill him. He was lucky Dooku wanted him alive.

As Ventress guided her fanblade starfighter through an asteroid field, she kept an eye on her ship's sensors, looking out for any other vessels in her vicinity. After a few minutes of silence, her ship detected something. A faint signal near the edge of the asteroid field. She weaved her ship through the last of the asteroids and reached the source of the signal.

A Gozanti-class armed transport.

This Gozanti wasn't too different from the other ones Ventress had seen. Though this one was noticeably dirty and seemed to be decorated with orange stripes. Out of curiosity, she decided to inspect the rest of the ship's exterior. Aside from a few minor alterations, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But just as she was about to leave, her eyes caught something familiar.

Painted on the side of the ship was an orange wesk symbol with a row of white diamonds in the center.

It was a symbol that Ventress hadn't seen in years. And one that brought back terrible memories.

It belonged to a gang which had been terrorizing Wild Space for decades.

The Wild Pack.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Dathomir - 28 Years Ago

"I'm sorry, Asajj."

Allya held her daughter tight as she and Talzin waited at the gate.

The Wild Pack had been attacking their coven for weeks, stealing weapons and other valuables for their leader Osika Kirske. To stop the attacks, Talzin had reached a compromise with Kirske. His gang would leave Dathomir in exchange for one of the coven's most powerful children. And Allya's daughter Asajj had been selected.

While awaiting Kirske's arrival, Talzin spoke with Allya.

"Fear not, sister. I have imbued her with memories of her home and her family. Once she is grown, she will return to us."

"Yes, Mother."

Allya wanted to be hopeful. But she feared that she wouldn't live long enough to see her child return to Dathomir. Knowing this might be their last moment together, Allya kissed her daughter on the forehead.

"I love you, Asajj. Please come back to us."

Just then, a small transport ship appeared in the sky. Talzin and Allya watched as it descended and landed among the barbed trees. Once the ship touched the ground, an adult male Siniteen stepped out from its side door. The Siniteen was sporting head tattoos and had a blaster in one of his pockets. While the ship waited for him, he approached the gate and stood before the two Nightsisters.

Allya hesitated for a moment and pulled Asajj closer. But once Talzin held out her hand, she reluctantly gave in. Pushing her fears aside, she handed her daughter over.

Asajj reached for her mother as Talzin gave her to the Siniteen. Once the Siniteen had her in his arms, he began taking her back to the ship. Asajj reached over the Siniteen's shoulder and cried out for her mother. But Allya could only look away and hope that her daughter would be safe.

The Siniteen sighed.

"Come on, kid. Don't make this any harder than it is."

While he walked with Asajj, a voice called to him from the ship.

"Move it, Hal'Sted! We ain't got all day!"

Hal'Sted rolled his eyes.

"Coming, boss!"

As Asajj lost sight of her mother, she looked over towards the transport ship. It was old and dingy, and had an orange symbol painted on its side. Once they reached the ship's side door, Asajj could see its interior. The walls were rusted over, and various tools and equipment were scattered on the floor.

As they entered the ship, they were met by beings of various species, many of which Asajj had never seen before. Rodians, Bith, Talz, Givins, Lasats; all of them donning clothes and weapons similar to Hal'Sted's. They all gathered around Hal'Sted to look at Asajj. Many of them seemed suspicious. Others appeared shocked. But just then, the same voice from before yelled over them.

"Come on! Outta the way!"

Through the crowd emerged a tall, muscular Vollick with blue eyes and long, black hair. His skin was ash grey and his sharp fangs pointed out from his mouth. He wore green body armor and had gold piercings next to each of his eyes. Towering over Hal'Sted at nearly three meters in height, he bent down to get a better look at Asajj.

"So _this_ is the kid they went with, huh?"

"This is the one they gave me, boss."

"Hmm."

Kirske rubbed his chin.

"She don't look like much. But hey. If _Talzin_ chose her, she must be worth _somethin',_ right?"

Asajj held onto Hal'Sted as Kirske studied her.

"Hopefully with the right trainin', she'll be useful to us in the future."

Suddenly, a male Abednedo spoke up.

"Boss, you can't be _serious_."

Looking up from Asajj, Kirske turned around to face the Abednedo.

"…And why _wouldn't_ I be?"

The Abednedo stuttered.

"Well it's…it's _one_ thing to steal credits and weapons. But taking a kid from her family? That's just…"

He froze.

Kirske's voice deepened.

"That's. Just. What?"

He continued.

"Well that's just… _wrong_ , boss."

Kirske's eyes widened. And after a moment of silence, he started laughing. As he continued to laugh harder and harder, the Abednedo nervously joined in. Until a butcher knife sliced through his throat.

As the Abednedo coughed up blood, Kirske grabbed him by his shoulder.

"You're funny, mate."

He then plunged the knife into his stomach.

"But I've got no use for a comedian."

After pulling the knife out, Kirske pushed the Abednedo over and let his body hit the ground. Hal'Sted covered Asajj's eyes as blood spilled onto the floor.

Kirske yelled at the cleaner droid.

"Oi! Clean this up! Everyone else get ready for takeoff!"

He then turned back to Hal'Sted.

"And _you_ keep an eye on that little witch."

"Yes, sir."

Hal'Sted held onto Asajj while everyone else prepared to leave.

As he got into his chair, Kirske started licking the blood from his knife. But he quickly gagged upon tasting it.

"Bleh…Too sour…"

A female Drabatan spoke to him while manning the navicomputer.

"Where to next, boss? Corellia?"

Kirske shook his head.

"Nah. Our business with Proxima's over. Besides, I think it's time we headed home. Set course for Rattatak."

"Whatever you say."

As the ship prepared for takeoff, Asajj began crying again. Hal'Sted tried to start a conversation.

"Hey, uh…so, what's your name?"

Asajj wiped her eyes and looked up at Hal'Sted.

"…A…Asajj."

"Asajj…?"

"…Ventress."

Hal'Sted nodded.

"Nice name. My name's Hal'Sted. You ever been on a ship before?"

Asajj shook her head.

"…No."

"Well this is a mining transport ship. All the way from Kafrene. Pretty cool, huh?"

Asajj nodded.

"I've wanted to ride in one of these things since I was _your_ age. Albeit…under better circumstances."

Asajj looked out at Dathomir through one of the windows.

"…Is momma gonna come get me?"

Hal'Sted looked at Asajj and sighed.

"…Sorry, kid. I don't think she is."

Asajj looked down at the floor.

"I don't think anyone is."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Kalee - Present

Kalee.

It'd been so long that Grievous had forgotten what it looked like.

Bright white clouds dotted the skies, while stretches of barren land sat between lush, green forests. The world's numerous ice caps led into countless rivers and oceans, with clusters of islands that created bizarre patterns.

As Grievous entered the planet's atmosphere, its many landscapes began to take shape. He could see rows of mountains and canyons below. Most of them were covered with moss and bordered by beaches along the shoreline, with packs of karabbacs scavenging for food.

Grievous flew past the mountains and headed northeast. He could see tall, cone-like structures in the distance. He was getting closer.

After a few more minutes of flying, he finally reached his destination; Kaleela.

The capital city had changed since he'd last seen it. The streets were littered with trash and many of the buildings were in poor shape. Most of the houses had broken windows, while the cone-shaped holy temples seemed completely abandoned.

Fortunately though, the statue of Xalek the Great remained intact, the warrior's fearsome visage still keeping watch over the city.

With only a smidgen of fuel left, Grievous landed the Soulless One on top of a water tower. He looked at his Lig sword one last time before returning it to its holster. After stepping out of his ship, he took a minute to close his eyes and breathe in the planet's air.

For a brief moment, he felt alive again.

 _Home…_

With his ship secured, Grievous grabbed onto a nearby ladder and descended the water tower. He then checked his surroundings upon reaching the ground.

The streets seemed completely barren, and he couldn't see anyone in the house windows. The once deafening sounds of the city had been replaced by an eerie silence. Grievous began to fear that he'd returned to a ghost town.

But just then, he heard laughter. Children's laughter. It was faint, but he could tell it was close by. Staying on guard, he headed towards the noise.

It felt surreal walking through Kaleela again. Grievous remembered sneaking out late at night to hunt for tar rats while his father slept. He remembered getting lost trying to navigate through all of the winding streets. He remembered crying out until his father came to take him home. His life back then was so different that he often mistook it for a dream. It didn't seem real. It didn't seem possible.

But there he was. Back home and away from the war.

It was too good to be true.

After crossing one more street, Grievous finally reached the source of the noise. He saw three Kaleesh children sparring with wooden swords in the middle of an intersection. Fortunately, the streets looked abandoned, and the traffic lights appeared as if they hadn't worked in years.

Keeping his weapons hidden, Grievous carefully approached the three children. As they fought with their wooden swords, one of the children looked over and saw Grievous coming towards them. But rather than run away, the child calmly stood up and pointed at the General. The two other children looked over as well, dropping their swords and gazing in astonishment. They had never seen a being like Grievous before.

As the three children stared, Grievous continued to approach them. Eventually, he stood before the children and knelt down so they could better see each other. After a moment of silence, the oldest child stepped forward and looked into Grievous' eyes. He smiled while pointing at them.

"Kaleesh!"

Grievous nodded and pointed at the child's eyes.

"Kaleesh."

"Hey! What're you doing?!"

Grievous stood back up to find whoever had called to them. Suddenly, he and the children were surrounded by ten male Siniteens. They were all carrying blasters and dressed in orange uniforms. The tallest of them yelled at the children.

"You're out past curfew! Know what that means?"

He drew his blaster on the youngest child.

"It means you're gonna take us back to your homes and give us everything you've got. Food, money, supplies, _everything_. Because if you don't…"

He then shot at the child's feet, causing them to fall back in terror.

"…then we'll have to put you in the ground."

Suddenly, Grievous grabbed the Siniteen's blaster.

"Leave. Now."

The Siniteen looked Grievous over while the others drew their weapons on him.

"…The hell are _you_ supposed to be? Some kinda _droid_?"

Grievous' heart stopped. His body tensed. His hands reached into his cape. And in the blink of an eye, he had two lightsabers drawn.

The Siniteen yelled out.

"He's a Jedi! Kill him!"

Grievous turned to the terrified children.

"Run."

While they ran away, he attacked the Siniteens.

Grievous felt liberated as he cut through his opponents. His stress and anxiety seemed to melt away. The Siniteens' screams were nothing short of ecstasy. His sense of euphoria increased with every sliced throat and severed limb. Despite the guilt and grief he still carried, he always found relief in the slaughtering of his enemies. He may have left the war, but he would never tire of the thrill of battle.

Soon, only one Siniteen remained. He yelled into his communicator while shooting at Grievous.

"We need backup! There's a Jedi here! He's…"

But before he could finish, Grievous knocked away his blaster and grabbed him by his throat. Grievous then lifted the Siniteen off the ground while holding his lightsabers to his neck.

"I am not a droid."

His grip tightened.

"And I am _not_ a Jedi."

The Siniteen gasped for air.

"Then what _are_ you?!"

In an instant, Grievous swung his lightsabers. And the Siniteen's head fell to the ground.

"Death."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Kalee - 22 Years Ago

"Focus, Qymaen."

"Yes, sir."

Qymaen's training hadn't been easy. His schedule had been grueling, his instructor unforgiving. Every day he would work hard, eat little, go to bed sore and wake up three hours later to do it all over again. The other recruits would often provoke him and get him into fights, resulting in extra laps on the obstacle course. He had cuts on his hands and bruises on his arms. And he was so skinny that his ribs nearly stuck out from his chest. The past six years had been some of the hardest of his life. But soon, it would all be worth it.

Nollus could've used his position as a sergeant to make his son's training easier. But he didn't want to rob Qymaen of any challenges he'd have to face in the future. And considering what they'd soon be up against, that was probably for the best.

For their first mission, Qymaen's unit had been sent to liberate a small Kaleesh town under Nollus's command. Nollus and his son were stationed at a watchtower, waiting for the right moment to commence the attack. They were both wearing protective tunics and war masks that resembled mumuu skulls. Nollus prepared his slugthrower rifle as Qymaen kept watch over the town.

"See anything?"

Qymaen zoomed in with his binoculars.

"Not yet…wait…"

Just then, he saw a group of Kaleesh children walking out of a building. They were dressed in old clothes and had stun cuffs on their arms. As they stepped outside, they were followed by two insectoid beings with heavy blaster rifles.

Qymaen froze at the sight of them.

"Huk…"

Nollus looked over.

"How many?"

"Two. And they have prisoners."

Qymaen had heard countless stories about the Huk. For generations, they'd been attacking Kalee for its resources, raiding dozens of cities and kidnapping hundreds of Kaleesh every year. Their sheer numbers and advanced technology made them formidable opponents, and their ruthlessness had given them a reputation similar to the Zygerrians. The Kaleesh had been fighting the Huk for so long that their societal customs had been altered by the conflict. Children were brought into service from a young age and trained to kill without mercy. Some were even encouraged to kill one another to sort the weak from the strong. Fortunately, Qymaen had managed to survive his training. And now, he was ready to fight for his home.

Once they reached an abandoned plaza, the two Huk guards forced the Kaleesh children to lie down on the ground. The Huk then aimed their heavy rifles at the children while keeping an eye on their surroundings.

Nollus turned to Qymaen.

"So what should we do now?"

Qymaen raised an eyebrow.

"I thought _you_ were leading the mission."

"I am. But now I'm asking _you_. What should we do?"

Qymaen looked back at the plaza and thought for a second.

"…Well, we'll need to take out those guards quickly. But they're pretty far away. And we only have one rifle on us."

"What about the rest of your unit?"

"They're even farther from the plaza than we are. And we're the only ones with a clear shot."

"Good point. So what should our next move be?"

Qymaen looked over to the right and zoomed in once more.

"…We'll have to get closer to the guards. And I think I've found a path that'll keep us hidden."

"You wanna lead the way?"

"Sure. Follow me."

After putting away his binoculars, Qymaen led his father down the watchtower. They soon reached an alleyway that weaved through an abandoned street. Qymaen and Nollus kept quiet as they slowly approached the plaza. Eventually, they could see the Huk guards keeping watch just a few meters away from them. Qymaen whispered to his father.

"I'll take the one on the left. You take the one on the right. On the count of three, we'll both shoot."

"But you don't have a rifle."

"I don't need one. Just be ready to fire when I give the signal."

Nollus nodded and knelt down behind a pile of crates. Once he was in position, he pulled out his rifle and aimed it at one of the Huk guards.

Qymaen knelt down behind a fallen lamppost and took out the family Lig sword. While holding up the sword, he turned to his father and started counting with his fingers. After signaling three, he motioned toward the guards.

Qymaen then threw his Lig sword at the guard on the left, while Nollus fired at the guard on the right. Both shots struck the Huk guards in their heads, killing them instantly. As they fell to the ground, Qymaen and Nollus ran over to the children.

They checked their surroundings as they freed the children from their stun cuffs. Once they were free, Qymaen spoke to them while pointing toward the alleyway.

"Follow that path and wait for us at the watchtower. Try to stay hidden until we get back."

At first, the children seemed scared of Qymaen's war mask. But then, one of the children stepped forward and pointed at Qymaen's eyes.

"Kaleesh!"

Qymaen nodded and pointed at the child's eyes.

"Kaleesh."

The child nodded as well and led the other children toward the alleyway. As they headed for the watchtower, Qymaen pulled his sword out from the dead Huk's head. He covered his nose while cleaning the foul-smelling blood from its blade. Once it was cleaned, Qymean returned it to its holster and turned back to Nollus.

"We should probably split up and scout the area."

"Good idea. There are still about twenty Huk left in this town. And the civilians won't be safe until…"

Just then, there was a loud bang as a projectile grazed Nollus' face. He fell to the ground screaming while covering his eye.

"Dad!"

Qymaen quickly ran over to help his father. He could see blood pouring from his right eye. Nollus continued to scream as Qymaen pulled him behind cover. He could only cover his own mouth to suppress the noise he was making.

Once they were both hidden, Qymaen peaked out and looked for the source of the shot. His heart stopped as he spotted at least a dozen Huk heading for their position. Two of the Huk were armed with heavy rifles, while the rest carried swords and daggers. Thinking fast, Qymaen grabbed his father's communicator and called the rest of his unit.

"This is Qymaen! I need everyone to converge on the plaza now! We're outnum…"

Suddenly, the pile of crates behind them was hit by a frenzy of blaster fire. As their cover was torn to pieces, Qymaen pulled his father behind one of the abandoned houses. He couldn't just sit and wait until the enemy found them. He had to hold them off until backup arrived. Before leaving cover, he returned the communicator to Nollus.

"I'll be back, dad."

After making sure his father was safe, he then stood up and grabbed onto one of the house's windows. He took out his Lig sword as he climbed up to the roof. Once he was there, he looked down and saw the Huk firing at the front of the house. They had no idea he was right on top of them. And it would be their last mistake.

Preparing himself, Qymaen focused on the two Huk armed with heavy rifles. Once he was in position, he dropped down from the roof with his Lig sword in hand. There was a sickening crunch as he plunged the sword into one of the Huk's heads. Turning away from the foul-smelling blood, he then swung the sword around and cut through the other Huk's thin neck. With both gunmen dead, Qymaen kept the remaining Huk on their toes while avoiding their attacks. He knew he couldn't kill them all by himself and just needed to keep them distracted until backup arrived.

Despite their size, the massive insectoids were extremely agile, fighting with all four of their limbs while never losing their balance. Qymaen had difficulty dodging their attacks and was cut at least five times during the struggle. He could see his wounds bleeding as the Huk began to surround him.

Suddenly, a loud bang rang out as one of the Huk's heads exploded. In the confusion, Qymaen looked over to where the shot had come from. He then saw the rest of his unit charging in with their weapons drawn.

Chaos ensued as both armies clashed in the middle of the plaza. The Huk fought viciously while the young Kaleesh soldiers dodged and attacked whenever they could. Qymaen knew that there would be blood on his first mission, but he'd never imagined anything like this. After a few minutes of fighting, more Huk soldiers began to arrive. Soon, it seemed like every Huk left in the town had joined the fight. Many of the Kaleesh began grabbing the Huk's discarded rifles and shooting at them. Qymaen had to be careful to avoid friendly fire. And he was afraid of any collateral damage they might end up causing.

Just then, a Huk with two swords charged at Qymaen. Qymaen blocked the first few attacks with his own sword, but he was quickly overwhelmed and knocked to the ground. The Huk then raised his weapons and prepared to deliver the final blow.

But before the Huk could strike, a close-range shot to his torso caused his midsection to explode, leaving him as a splattered mess on the ground. Qymaen looked over and saw his father, back on his feet with his slugthrower rifle in hand, along with a cloth tied around his head to cover his right eye. Nollus walked over to Qymaen and held out his hand.

"One eye is all I need."

As Qymaen grabbed his hand, Nollus pulled him back up and nodded to him. Both of them then headed back into the battle to fight alongside one another. With Qymaen's unit back together, they were able to reorganize and overwhelm the remaining Huk. Eventually, the last of the Huk soldiers were killed. And after a quick search of the area, no others were found.

The town was secured. The mission was a success.

…

Afterwards, the Kaleesh soldiers were brought back to their camp and allowed to rest up. Music from a local HoloNet station blared as the soldiers bathed in the river and played karabball in the courtyard. Meanwhile, Qymaen and Nollus were sitting together on a bench. The medics were able to fix up their wounds. Though unfortunately, Nollus had lost all sight in his right eye and had to wear a patch to protect it. He and Qymaen spoke while watching the sunset.

"Dad…I'm sorry…"

"You don't have to apologize, Qymaen. These things happen all the time in war. To be honest, I'm surprised something like this didn't happen sooner."

Nollus put his hand on Qymaen's shoulder.

"You did well out there. You lead your unit to victory without suffering a single casualty. Even _I've_ had trouble doing that. And _you_ did it on your first mission."

Qymaen smiled.

"It was just a small town…"

"It doesn't matter how big or small the battlefield is. Every life saved is a victory. And you saved _many_ lives today. _That's_ what matters."

Qymaen nodded.

"You think I can keep it up?"

"I _know_ you can. And if you ever need help, don't worry. I've got my eye on you."

Qymaen chuckled and looked back up at the sky.

Kalee's sunsets were always beautiful. The orange sun contrasted with the purple sky was like an image straight out of a painting. And the distant flickering stars only added to the dream-like composition.

Kalee was everything Qymaen had ever known. And he would do everything in his power to protect it.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Kaleesh - Present

Grievous was ready.

The reinforcements were on their way.

He could hear them coming.

And he wasn't going anywhere.

As the distant rumbling grew louder and louder, he noticed a large object coming towards him. The object appeared taller than the houses and was surrounded by clouds of dust. Once the dust cleared, Grievous was able to make out what it was.

A turbo tank. Most likely stolen from the Republic. It was covered in orange paint and seemed to have extra weapons attached to it. There were also a few Siniteens and Bith operating the turrets on top.

As soon as the tank was in range, two of the Bith aimed their turrets at Grievous.

Grievous chuckled.

 _Too easy._

Before the turrets could even fire, Grievous was on the move. He leapt out of the way as the first few blasts hit the ground. He then latched onto one of the houses and crawled up to its roof. While the Bith took aim, Grievous took out two of his lightsabers and began leaping from rooftop to rooftop. The Bith fired upon the houses as they tried to keep up with their target.

Once he was close enough, Grievous leapt from the roof he was on and landed on the tank. He then took out two more lightsabers and began destroying the turrets. The Siniteens and Bith tried attacking Grievous with their blasters, only to be cut down and thrown off the tank. With the turrets destroyed, Grievous jumped off of the tank and started attacking its wheels. This caused the tank to sharply stop in the middle of the street. As Grievous slashed at the wheels, he saw the tank's rear entrance suddenly open. He quickly abandoned the wheels and headed straight for the entrance, ready to kill the occupants inside. But as soon as he reached the entrance, he was struck in the face by an electrostaff, knocking him back down onto the street below.

While lying on the ground, Grievous looked up at the tank to locate his attacker. He then saw five armored Lasat guards standing by the entrance, each one carrying an electrostaff and a J-19 bo-rifle. The guards jumped down from the tank and began surrounding Grievous. After regaining his focus, Grievous got back on his feet and bared his lightsabers for battle.

In an instant, the five Lasats all swarmed Grievous at once, backing him into a corner. Grievous blocked as many of the guards' attacks as he could, even wielding a fifth lightsaber with one of his feet. But the guards were relentless, giving the General little time to react.

Suddenly, a jolt of electricity shot through Grievous' body. One of the Lasats had stabbed him in the back with their electrostaff. Grievous tried to shake it off and focus on the fight. But then he was shocked again. And again. And again until the guards finally knocked him down.

As the Lasats pummeled Grievous on the ground, he tried to muster the strength to push his attackers off. But then he realized why he'd been so slow.

His joints had locked up again.

He couldn't fight. He couldn't run. He couldn't move.

He was trapped.

As the guards tore at his duranium body, he could feel himself slipping out of consciousness. He could hear the breaking of metal and the snapping of wires. His lightsabers lied on the ground, just out of reach of his damaged arms. For the first time since his transformation, he was completely helpless. And he prepared himself for the worst.

But then, he heard a call. A call he hadn't heard in years.

"Izvoshra! To arms!"

The Lasats immediately stopped their attack and looked for the source of the noise. While they were distracted, Grievous pushed himself up off the ground and turned his head toward one of the buildings. That was when he saw them.

Eight Kaleesh warriors dressed in tunics and war masks. Standing on a rooftop with weapons in hand. The Izvoshra had arrived.

As the Lasats braced themselves, one of the Izvoshra raised her Lig sword and shouted to the sky.

"For Kalee!"

She then leapt from the rooftop and engaged the Lasats while bellowing her war cry. Six of the other Izvoshra followed her into battle, while the eighth stayed on the roof with a sniper rifle. The sniper fired at the Lasats from above while the rest of the Izvoshra fought them on the ground. Grievous watched in awe as his former cadre cut down their opponents with ease. Once the Lasats were killed, the leader of the Izvoshra raised her Lig sword and shouted once more.

"Izvoshra! At ease!"

The rest of the Izvoshra then put away their weapons and regrouped near the tank. Grievous slowly got back on his feet while the Izvoshra celebrated their victory.

After getting up from her position, the sniper jumped down from the roof and met with her leader by the tank. Grievous noticed that the sniper was much heavier than the others. And that the leader seemed to have a prosthetic arm and leg. After removing their war masks, the leader and the sniper embraced and kissed one another. The sniper then chuckled.

"Was the war cry really necessary?"

"Of course not."

As they both laughed, Grievous recognized the leader's face. He knew he'd seen her before, but he couldn't quite place her.

And then it hit him.

 _It can't be…Is it…_

Grievous cautiously approached the leader until she and the sniper were both staring at him. She didn't seem to recognize him.

"Can we help you?"

Grievous' heart tensed as he said her name.

"…Ronderu?"

Ronderu looked surprised.

"How do you…Who are you?"

Grievous then reached into his cape and held out his Lig sword.

Ronderu stared at his weapon for a moment. And when she looked back up into his eyes, she gasped.

"Qymaen…you're…"

Grievous nodded.

"I'm home."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Wild Space - Present

Ventress had to be careful.

She hadn't faced the Wild Pack in years. And she had no idea how much they'd changed since then. So rather than attack them head on, she decided she would sneak aboard their ship and take control of it from the inside.

After adjusting her spacesuit, she positioned her starfighter about thirty meters away from the Gozanti. She then engaged the ship's autopilot and set it to land on Kalee. As her starfighter positioned itself, she opened its cockpit and leapt out into space. She allowed herself to float while her ship took off and headed for Kalee.

Once the starfighter was gone, Ventress turned her attention to the Gozanti. She closed her eyes and used the quiet of space to help her focus on the ship. Reaching out with the Force, she held out her hands and pulled herself toward the Gozanti.

Once she reached it, she grabbed onto its hull and looked for an opening. She noticed a small airlock near one of its portside windows. Bracing herself, she carefully climbed up the side of the ship until she reached the airlock. She then took out one of her lightsabers and used it to make a small cut in the airlock door.

Closing her eyes, she focused on the door and reached out with the Force once again. After a few minutes of concentrating, she pulled the airlock open and quickly dove inside before it closed back up.

The ship's interior was surprisingly clean. The floor and walls were well kept, and the weapons were all neatly placed on racks. It was already the cleanest Wild Pack ship Ventress had ever seen.

Safe from the vacuum of space, she removed her spacesuit and returned to her usual attire. She then entered the nearest corridor and began heading for the ship's controls.

The bright ceiling lights and vast, empty halls didn't leave her many places to hide. So instead, she waited and listened before heading into the next corridor. Knowing how crowded Wild Pack ships could be, she didn't want to risk alerting security and getting swarmed by guards. Even the Force could only do so much in such confined spaces.

As she entered an adjoining hall, Ventress heard footsteps coming from behind a nearby door. She quickly hid behind a wall and used the Force to mask her presence. She heard the door open and shut as one of the ship's occupants entered the hall. Through the Force, she was able to reach out and see what the occupant looked like. They were a tall, muscular Crolute, covered in orange armor and carrying an electrostaff. They also appeared to have a comlink and two heavy blaster rifles on their belt.

Ventress decided not to risk attacking them and exposing herself.

Keeping herself hidden, she allowed the Crolute to walk past her and enter the adjoining corridor. Once the Crolute was far enough away, she stepped out from behind the wall and headed through the door.

Luckily, she was able to avoid detection throughout the rest of the ship. There didn't seem to be that many guards around. And she hadn't seen any cameras or droids on patrol. In fact, most of the ship seemed completely empty.

It was strange to say the least.

Eventually, Ventress reached the front of the ship. She saw an unguarded door that most likely led to the pilot's room. She quickly approached the door and used the Force to look inside the room.

She could see a male Duros sitting by the ship's controls while speaking with someone via comlink. She listened in on their conversation as she quietly opened the door.

"No pirates yet. We're completely alone out here. Why does the boss still make us do this anyway? We haven't been attacked in months."

Once inside the room, Ventress snuck up behind the pilot and raised two of her fingers.

"Besides, who'd be crazy enough to break into a ship like _this_?"

She focused. And with a flick of her hand, his neck snapped.

As the pilot slumped to the floor, Ventress took his seat and looked over the controls. She'd never flown a Gozanti before, but she knew enough of the controls to fly the ship down towards Kalee.

But she wouldn't fly it down just yet.

First, she would eliminate its crew.

And now that she knew it was a trap, it would be easy.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Rattatak - 26 Years Ago

"Ventress! Where the hell are you?!"

Asajj tried to stay quiet as Kirske rummaged through her room. She'd accidentally broken one of his blasters earlier, and she knew she'd be punished if he found her.

She peaked through the closet door and saw him tearing apart her bed.

"I know you're here, you little witch! You can't hide forever!"

Backing away from the door, she covered her mouth and waited for Kirske to leave. But then, she felt a light tickle in her nose. And before she could stop herself, she sneezed.

Kirske stopped what he was doing and looked toward the closet. In a panic, Asajj fell backwards and tried hiding behind her working clothes. But before she knew it, Kirske had thrown open the closet door and grabbed her by her arm.

Pulling her out of the closet, Kirske held up Asajj's right hand and reached into his back pocket.

"Y'know what happens when someone breaks my stuff?"

He took out his butcher knife.

"I get their fingers."

Asajj struggled to get away until she heard a familiar voice.

"Boss! Stop!"

Hal'Sted ran into the room and stood between Kirske and Asajj.

"The hell are you doin', Hal'Sted?! Get outta the way!"

Asajj hid behind Hal'Sted while he spoke with Kirske.

"Look! Boss. I know she broke your blaster, but cutting off her fingers is only gonna hinder her performance. Let _me_ punish her and I promise this'll _never_ happen again."

Kirske spat on the floor.

"You're too _soft_ , Hal'Sted. You never punish that brat for _anything_! You just let her run around the place and do whatever the hell she _wants_!"

"I know! I know. And that's going to change. I'll be stricter with her from now on. I promise. Just let her go and I'll deal with her myself. Okay?"

Kirske paused for a moment and then put away his knife.

"Fine. But if this happens again, I swear I'll have _both_ of your fingers."

Once Kirske left the room, Hal'Sted knelt down next to Asajj.

"You okay, kid?"

Asajj looked down at her bruised arm and started to cry. Hal'Sted gave her a hug as he tried to calm her down.

"It's okay…It's okay…"

…

A few hours later, Asajj was out on the field with the other workers. Some of them were stacking supplies, while others were setting up security around the Wild Pack's fortress. Hal'Sted was drinking from a canteen while on break with Asajj. Once he was done drinking, he passed it over to her.

"Thank you, Master."

"Kid, you don't have to call me that."

"But Kirske told me to."

Hal'Sted shook his head.

"Forget about Kirske. He doesn't know what he's talking about."

Asajj took a sip from the canteen and gave it back to Hal'Sted.

"You don't like him, do you?"

Hal'Sted smirked.

"No. Not really."

"So why do you work for him?"

Hal'Sted was quiet for a moment, and then he sighed.

"It's…complicated."

He put down the canteen and began to explain.

"See, Rattatak is run by warlords. And their gangs fight for control of the planet."

"Like the Wild Pack?"

"Yeah. And if you aren't a part of _one_ of those gangs, then you either die or end up living in squalor. My brother and I were the latter. Until we were _attacked_ by one of those gangs. The Vulkars. My brother owed them a lot of money. And he didn't have _nearly_ enough to pay them back. So one day, they broke into our home and held us at gunpoint."

Hal'Sted looked down.

"One of them pointed their blaster at my brother and told him to get down on his knees. As he did, he looked up at me and told me that no matter what happened, I had to keep going."

He closed his eyes.

"And then they shot him. And left me there. Alone."

They were both quiet for a moment. Then Asajj asked him a question.

"So…what did you do?"

Hal'Sted looked back up and continued.

"Well eventually, I ran into Kirske. He offered me a job with the Wild Pack in exchange for food and a place to live. He also said he'd heard about my situation, and that his gang was on the verge of finishing off the Vulkars for good."

He picked up the canteen.

"I hated the Vulkars for what they did. I wanted to fight back. To make sure that they never hurt anyone again. And it seemed like joining the Wild Pack was the best way to do that. So I took his offer and signed my life away."

He took another sip from the canteen.

"Fast forward a couple years and here I am. Stuck under Kirske's thumb while the Vulkars keep doing what they do."

He closed the canteen and put it away.

"So much for fighting back."

Asajj thought to herself for a minute, and then looked up at Hal'Sted.

"What if we ran away? And found a _new_ place to live? _Away_ from the gangs?"

Hal'Sted smirked.

"That's a nice sentiment, kid. But it's too late for that. We're _both_ a part of this screwed-up system now. And there's no turning back. Not for you, not for me…not for _any_ of us."

Asajj looked down and thought about Hal'Sted's words. But as she turned back to him, a shot rang out through the field.

The field erupted into chaos, with guards and workers alike all running for cover. Hal'Sted took out his blaster and searched for the source of the shot. As two more shots rang out, Asajj looked up and saw a Weequay sniper on top of a nearby building.

Asajj pointed at the sniper and shouted to Hal'Sted.

"Master! Up there!"

Upon seeing the sniper, Hal'Sted knelt down next to Asajj and looked her in the eyes.

"Listen, kid. I need you to run back to the fortress and hide."

"What's happening?"

"The Vulkars are attacking. I'm gonna stay out here and try to get that sniper. You get to cover and wait until things calm down. Okay?"

"But Master!"

"Okay?"

Asajj hesitated for a second, and then she nodded.

"Okay."

Hal'Sted stood back up and headed toward the sniper.

"I'll see you back at the fortress!"

As he ran off, Asajj followed the rest of the workers toward the fortress. She tried to avoid being trampled on by the hundreds of people fleeing around her. Their horrified screams were deafening, and her view was so obstructed that she could barely tell where she was going.

Eventually, she saw the fortress's entrance just a few meters away. But before she could enter, a massive explosion shook the entire structure from the inside.

As the fortress began to collapse, the workers quickly scattered and headed out into the town.

Asajj was terrified. She had no idea where to go or what to do.

All she could do now was look for her master.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Wild Space - Present

Ventress hated tight spaces.

They reminded her of all the years she'd spent running and hiding as a child.

She had to calm herself every time she crawled through a vent or fit through a small entryway.

And these narrow, windowless corridors were especially agitating.

Unfortunately, she had to stay on guard and couldn't take a moment to breathe. So instead, she activated her lightsabers and used them to slash at the ceiling lights.

The darkness helped to hide the cramped spaces. And it would give her an advantage over the Gozanti's guards.

As she destroyed the lights throughout the ship, she sensed at least a dozen guards heading towards her. She smirked at the thought of killing them all.

While they surrounded her, she broke the lights above her and sat in the middle of the dark corridor. She then turned off her lightsabers and placed them on the ground in front of her.

Once the doors opened, she heard the guards shout to one another.

"The hell happened to the lights?!"

"Did we lose power again?"

"I think I see someone!"

"Yeah. Who is that? Hello?"

Ventress remained silent.

"Speak up or we'll blast you!"

As the guards raised their blasters, she used the Force to lift her lightsabers into the air. She then activated them and sent them flying toward the guards. The guards began to panic and fired their weapons. But the glowing red blades deflected their blasts and cut them down with ease. Screams filled the corridor as Ventress guided her lightsabers through the air. Once the screaming stopped, she deactivated the blades and recalled them to her hands. She then stood back up and stepped over the dead guards while leaving the corridor.

Once she'd returned to the front of the ship, she sat back down in the pilot's chair and started working with the controls. But before she could move the Gozanti, she sensed a bizarre presence nearby.

Standing up from the chair, Ventress peered through the front window and tried to locate the anomaly. She then noticed a large ship in the distance, slowly approaching the Gozanti. The ship appeared to have an ancient design almost resembling a blaster. It reminded Ventress of the ships she'd read about in the oldest accounts of the Mandalorian Wars. As the ship came closer and closer, its immense size became more and more apparent. And once it was close enough, Ventress was able to identify what it was.

A dungeon ship.

These kinds of ships hadn't been used in centuries, and the only other ones Ventress had seen were long destroyed and abandoned on junk planets. Yet this one was clearly functional and seemed fairly well put together; even customized slightly.

As the ship came to a halt in front of the Gozanti, Ventress looked closer at it and saw a Wild Pack symbol painted on its side.

Realizing what was happening, she took over the Gozanti's controls and tried to fly away. But the Gozanti gave a sudden lurch and started floating toward the dungeon ship.

The Wild Pack had her in a tractor beam.

There was no escape.

They'd caught her.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Kalee - Present

As the sun set on Kaleela, Grievous helped the Izvoshra clean up debris from the streets. He regretted drawing the tank's fire upon the buildings. It'd been so long since he'd even thought about collateral damage.

He'd spent the past few hours explaining what had happened to him since his disappearance. But many of the Izvoshra still had questions; especially Ronderu.

"So why are you back _now_? After all this time? Did you _forget_ about us?"

"I…"

Grievous felt ashamed.

"I spent so long fighting the Jedi that I lost focus. I should've come back as soon as I had the chance. I turned my back on Kalee. On _all_ of you. I'm sorry."

One of the Izvoshra patted Grievous on the back.

"Relax, General. All that matters is you're here now. And judging from how you handled that tank, I'd say the Wild Pack's time is almost up."

"The Wild Pack?"

Ronderu explained.

"They're a gang of criminals who've been attacking planets throughout Wild Space. Thune, Pion, Agaris, Lysatra…and now Kalee."

"How long have they been here?"

"Since the Separatists drove the Huk away. We were vulnerable and still recovering. We weren't ready to deal with an enemy like this."

She moved debris while she spoke.

"As soon as they arrived, they attacked the Royal Palace and killed King Razer, along with his delegates. After that, they did hit and run attacks on hundreds of government locations, until Kalee's entire monarchy eventually collapsed."

She picked up a chunk of drywall and threw it to the side.

"With no government, the military scattered. Soldiers and commanding officers formed splinter groups across the planet, protecting civilian locations from Wild Pack attacks."

She then grabbed a fallen sign and set it back up.

"We've been guarding Kaleela for the past three years. It's mostly abandoned, but a few of its residents still remain. We protect and provide for them as best we can. But we aren't always prepared for the occasional Wild Pack patrol. _This_ patrol would've given us a _lot_ more trouble if _you_ hadn't arrived."

Grievous looked down.

"Dooku never informed me of the state Kalee was in."

He clenched his hands.

"If only I'd come sooner. If only I hadn't…"

"Hey."

He looked back up at Ronderu.

"I know you're pissed with yourself. To be honest, _I'm_ a bit pissed with you too. But right now, we need to focus on what's important. And that's protecting Kalee and sending the Wild Pack back to whatever crevice they crawled out of. Also, for what it's worth…"

She punched him on the shoulder.

"…it's good to have you back, General."

Grievous nodded. He wished he could smile.

Just then, the sniper came over with a plastic bag.

"Glad to see you two are still getting along. Got another bag for you."

Ronderu took the bag from her.

"Thanks, Tillodei. How's cleanup on your end going?"

"Pretty well. We'll just need a couple more hours before we start prepping for the attack."

"What attack?"

Ronderu turned back to Grievous.

"Oh! Right. I forgot to tell you. Tomorrow, we're going to infiltrate a local prison that's been taken over by the Wild Pack. Our plan is to break through its defenses and retake it from the inside. And come to think of it, we could probably use your help."

"How so?"

"The Wild Pack's outfitted the prison with scanners that detect organic life. They're the only things keeping us from accessing its security systems. But with _your_ body, you might be able to get past them undetected."

"Perhaps…"

Tillodei agreed.

"I think it's worth a shot."

"So what do you say, General? Ready for another mission?"

Grievous thought to himself for a moment, and then nodded once more.

"Very well. I will join in your attack tomorrow."

Ronderu smiled.

"Alright. We'll fill you in on the plan tonight at our encampment."

Tillodei turned to her.

"And after that, _you're_ going to get some rest."

Ronderu sighed.

"Till, I told you. I don't _need_ rest."

"So why were you passed out on the floor this morning?"

"I _wasn't_. I was just…meditating."

"Since when do you meditate?"

"Since this morning."

Tillodei chuckled and kissed her on the cheek.

"Just promise me you'll get a _little_ sleep tonight? _Please?_ "

"Fine. But only if you stop hogging the bed."

"Heh. You're funny."

"I try."

…

Once the debris was moved, the Izvoshra began passing out food and supplies to the city's residents. They'd set up a few dozen crates by their encampment near the holy temples. And roughly a hundred Kaleesh were already lined up with their friends and families.

Four of the Izvoshra gave out fruit and meats, while the other four gave out tools and wood. As the day came to a close, Grievous looked up at the night sky.

He never realized how much he'd missed Kalee's sunsets. They were even more beautiful than he remembered. And despite seeing thousands of other sunsets on thousands of other worlds since then, none of them could ever compare to this one.

Grievous was elated.

But he was also furious.

He cursed himself for being gone for so long.

For leaving his people to suffer while he fought in a worthless war.

For abandoning his home and becoming the pawn of an insipid old man.

For a moment, he wondered if he even deserved to be there.

But then, Ronderu called to him.

"Hey Qymaen! We could use some help!"

Grievous turned around and saw hundreds of Kaleesh still waiting for supplies. He saw the Izvoshra working as hard as they could to help every single one of them. And then, he remembered.

 _Every life saved is a victory._

Putting his guilt aside, he joined Ronderu and helped her give out food. He may have been angry with himself, but he wouldn't let that stop him from making a difference on Kalee. He'd spent the last five years conquering planets as General Grievous. But those days were over now.

Today, he was Qymaen.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Kalee - 18 Years Ago

"Got it, Qymaen?"

"I think so…"

Qymaen had never ridden a roggwart before. The massive, bipedal lizards were reserved for only the most elite Kaleesh soldiers. And now, he was finally ready to take one into battle.

Qymaen had more than proven himself over the past six years. He'd lead dozens of successful missions and killed thousands of Huk alongside his father. He'd risen to the rank of captain faster than any other Kaleesh before him. Though Nollus still outranked him as a commander, the two of them were regarded as equals on the battlefield, each having their own share of kills and victories.

As Qymaen's roggwart was outfitted with armor plating, he prepared to ride it out onto the field. He and his father's battalion had been staking out a Huk stronghold for weeks. It was surrounded by anti-aircraft turrets and housed hundreds of Huk soldiers. Hopefully, the five roggwarts they had would be enough to overwhelm their defenses.

Once his roggwart was fully armored, Qymaen reached forward and held onto its reins. He then waited while Nollus and the other captains got on their roggwarts as well.

Suddenly, Qymaen's roggwart turned its head and bit into its harness. It started gnawing at its skin while shaking its neck furiously. Dropping the reins, Qymaen leaned over the saddle and tried to find what the roggwart was biting at.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

Just then, he saw a group of mosquitos gathered around a wound on the roggwart's neck. Thinking fast, he climbed off of the saddle and shooed the insects away. Once they were gone, the roggwart stopped biting itself and calmed down. It then spotted the flying mosquitos and began catching them with its tongue.

Qymaen chuckled.

"Don't worry. We'll get you some real food later."

Returning to the saddle, Qymaen picked the reins back up and prepared to head out. As Nollus and the other captains braced themselves, a loud siren rang throughout the base. The tall gate in front of them then began to slide open. The roggwarts' eyes adjusted themselves as sunlight poured into the dark shed.

Qymaen could see the Huk stronghold in the distance. It was roughly four miles away. But with their riding animals, their journey wouldn't be long.

Once the way was clear, Qymaen, Nollus and the captains all whistled in unison. And with that, their roggwarts charged out onto the grassy field.

Qymaen held on while his roggwart ran toward the stronghold. He could feel the sun on his face and the wind blowing through his hair. He could barely hear the others over the sounds of their roggwarts' massive steps. His own roggwart was going so fast that he thought he might fall off. But he was able to hold onto the reins and keep himself on the saddle. As they approached the stronghold, Qymaen focused on the turrets and prepared for the first wave of defense.

Once they were in range, the turrets opened fire.

The roggwarts were quick enough to avoid most of the blasts. Though one roggwart was caught off guard and shot in the leg, causing it to fall over along with its rider. Qymaen wanted to go back and help, but he couldn't risk leaving himself open to attack. Saying a quick prayer for the captain, he pushed onward and braced himself for battle.

Once they reached the stronghold, they guided their roggwarts toward the turrets and let go of their reins. The roggwarts then attacked the turrets head on, ripping into the massive weapons with their claws, teeth and horns. As they tore the turrets apart, Qymaen, Nollus and the two remaining captains jumped down from their saddles to regroup on the ground. They took out their weapons while Nollus gave the next set of instructions.

"The battalion will arrive once those turrets are destroyed. We just need to hold out until then. The Huk should be sending out reinforcements any…"

Just then, a blaster shot flew by Qymaen's ear. He looked up and saw four snipers on the roof of the stronghold.

"Speak of the Bogan…"

"Everyone behind cover!"

Following Nollus's orders, Qymaen and the other two captains hid behind stacks of supplies while preparing their rifles. As the snipers fired from above, Qymaen peaked out from behind a crate and zoomed in on them with his binoculars.

"Droids…"

"What kind?"

"Assassin. IG-86. And customized, from the looks of it."

Qymaen had always hated droids. Empty, soulless machines that blindly did whatever they were told. No loyalty, no spirit. Just programming. Kind of like the Huk, now that he thought about it. Fortunately, he'd studied the weaknesses of these particular droids throughout his training, due to how often the Huk used them. And with his rifle fully loaded, he was more than ready to take a few of them offline.

While staying behind cover, he lifted the rifle and peered through its scope. He could see one of the droids aiming at the other two captains. Keeping the barrel steady, he aimed for the droid's head and pulled the trigger. Sparks flew from the droid as the detonite sent it flying backwards. However, after a few seconds, the droid suddenly stood back up and turned its attention toward Qymaen.

Qymaen quickly ducked back down as a blaster bolt struck the crate behind him. Nollus ducked down as well.

"What happened?"

"It got back up. Guess its armor is tougher than it looks."

"Even against _detonite_?"

"Apparently."

Nollus looked up at the droid.

"…What if we both shoot it at once?"

"That's worth a try, I guess."

Once the droid stopped firing, Qymaen and Nollus aimed their rifles and shot at it together. But just like last time, it went down for a few seconds and then got back on its feet.

"Karabast…"

Qymaen put his rifle down and thought for a moment.

"It's protected against ranged attacks. But it _could_ be vulnerable to close combat."

"Perhaps. But how do we reach it without getting _shot_?"

Qymaen peaked over the crate and tried to find a way up to the roof. All of a sudden, he heard a loud noise echo overhead. It almost sounded like a war cry, but it was unlike any he'd heard before. Looking up, he saw another Kaleesh fighting the droids on the roof.

She was dodging their attacks while using two Lig swords to cut through their joints. She was sporting a unique set of armor that fully protected her without hindering her mobility. Qymaen had no idea what type of fighting style she was using. But whatever it was, the droids seemed unable to keep up with it.

Once they were taken care of, the warrior put her weapons away and looked down at Qymaen and Nollus. Qymaen noticed that her long, black hair was tied back in a knot, and that her war mask was made to resemble a karabbac skull. After a brief silence, she started waving to them.

"Hello there!"

Qymaen and Nollus looked at each other for a moment, and then Qymaen called back.

"Who are you?!"

"Ronderu! Ronderu lij Kummar! You need some help?!"

"Yes!"

"I thought so!"

Ronderu leapt down from the roof onto a series of small ledges until she finally reached the ground. With the snipers gone, Qymaen and Nollus were able to leave their cover and meet her by the stronghold. Nollus kept his guard up just in case.

"Are you a part of our battalion?"

"Nope. I'm a mercenary. The locals hired me to sneak into this place and weaken it from the inside. And I started out doing that. But then I saw _you_ guys just barge in guns blazing and I figured that'd be a lot more fun."

Qymaen spoke up.

"What fighting style was that?"

"Teräs Käsi. It works great bare-handed, and even better with weapons. I can show you later if you…"

Just then, Nollus received a call from one of the captains.

"Commander! The roggwarts have destroyed the turrets! We're all clear!"

"Thank you, captain. The battalion should be here shortly. Prepare to infiltrate the stronghold."

"Yes, sir!"

Ronderu took out her Lig swords.

"Does your battalion have room for one more?"

Qymaen smiled.

"I don't see why not."

Nollus nodded in agreement.

Suddenly, a series of low humming noises began to fill the air. Qymaen turned around and saw eight Kaleesh shuttles heading for their position. As each of the shuttles landed before them, hundreds of Kaleesh soldiers filed out onto the grassy field. With their weapons ready, they waited for the first line of Huk soldiers to meet them outside.

After minutes of silence, the stronghold's entrance finally opened. Dozens of Huk came running out with blaster rifles in hand.

And once Nollus gave the signal, the Kaleesh charged into battle.

Slugs and blaster bolts filled the air as the two armies collided. Nollus, Qymaen and Ronderu stayed out of the line of fire while cutting down Huk soldiers with their swords. Soon, the four roggwarts abandoned the turrets and began attacking the Huk as well, stepping on them and grabbing them with their mouths. Eventually, so many of the Huk were killed that they found themselves outnumbered. As the Huk started to retreat, the Kaleesh surrounded them and forced them back inside the stronghold. Once inside, the Huk quickly surrendered, dropping their weapons and allowing themselves to be taken prisoner.

The stronghold was taken. The battle was won.

…

Later that evening, the captured Huk were taken to the Bug Trap; a military complex where they would be imprisoned and interrogated without trial. Despite his disdain for the Huk, Nollus was vehemently opposed to this system; though Qymaen was more accepting of it. To prevent any inhumane treatment, Nollus had gone to the Bug Trap himself to reinforce certain policies among the prison's staff. Though overseeing the implementation of those policies would be another matter.

Meanwhile, the Kaleesh soldiers held a funeral for those who were killed during the battle. Qymaen and Ronderu watched as each soldier payed their respects to their fallen friends. While Qymaen understood why his father had gone to the prison, he wished he had at least stayed for this.

As the funeral concluded, Ronderu turned to Qymaen.

"Hey."

"Yeah?"

"I've been thinking."

"About what?"

"About being a mercenary. It's fun and all but…I think there are more important things I should be doing right now."

"Like what?"

"Like helping you. Helping _all_ of you. I don't just want to fight the Huk whenever someone _pays_ me to. I want to be there on the front lines. With you _and_ your dad. But only if you'll let me…"

Qymaen looked up at the sky.

"Well, _I'm_ just a captain. So it isn't really my call to make. But, for what it's worth…"

He turned to her and smiled.

"…I would be _honored_ to fight with you."

Ronderu smiled back.

"Thanks."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Kalee - Present

"Qymaen will enter here and hopefully get past their scanners."

Ronderu was demonstrating her plan with a hologram of the prison.

"We'll hide out along the perimeter until he disables the security."

She pointed to the prison's main entrance.

"Once it's down, we'll enter the courtyard and break in through the front."

Tillodei raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure that's the best move?"

"Our spies tell us that the prison's frontal defenses are entirely automated. So once security systems are down, it'll be virtually defenseless; aside from a few guards, which we can take with no problem."

Ronderu gestured at the surrounding watchtowers.

"There's going to be a triple dark tomorrow. So the guards in the watchtowers won't be able to see us, even with their spotlights on."

She moved on to the prison's top floor.

"Once we're inside, we'll work our way up to the warden's office and release the captured soldiers and civilians. From there, taking over the prison should be a breeze. We'll have more than enough soldiers with us to force the Wild Pack out. And once they're gone, we'll secure the area and lead the civilians to safety."

She then turned to Grievous and the rest of the Izvoshra.

"So. Is everyone clear on the plan?"

As they all nodded, Ronderu reached over and switched off the hologram.

"Great. Now let's get some sleep. We've got a long day tomorrow and I don't want to see anyone dragging their feet. So sleep tight and be ready to leave by sunrise. Dismissed."

The Izvoshra gathered their belongings and headed off to their respective tents. While they left, Ronderu spoke with Grievous.

"We've got a spare tent if you need a place to sleep."

"Thank you. But I don't sleep."

"At _all_?"

"Not anymore."

"Have you ever _tried_?"

"I don't need to."

"But do you _want_ to?"

Grievous went quiet.

Ronderu asked him again.

"Do you want to try sleeping tonight?"

He thought to himself for a moment, and then answered.

"…Yes."

…

Grievous stared at the roof of his tent as he lied on a pile of sheets.

He wasn't used to this much silence.

There were no battle droids. No explosions. No flurries of blaster fire.

Just him and the sound of his own breathing.

For the first time in years, he felt relaxed.

After positioning himself on the sheets, he closed his eyes and allowed his body to go limp.

He spent nearly an hour just lying there, waiting for it to happen.

Then finally, after years of fighting and killing without respite, General Grievous went to sleep.

…

As Grievous slept, he dreamed of himself as Qymaen.

In the middle of a burning city.

Flames enveloped everything around him.

Smoke filled his lungs and forced him to cough.

He could hear people screaming.

Following the screams, he found a group of Kaleesh surrounded by statues.

The statues were massive and appeared to be alive.

They were blocking the exits and forcing the Kaleesh back into the fire.

Baring his Lig sword, Qymaen attacked one of the statues.

He slashed through its chest, killing it instantly.

As the statue fell over dead, Qymaen felt one of his fingers stiffen.

Ignoring the sensation, he continued killing the rest of the statues.

But with each one he killed, another part of his body stiffened.

Until he could no longer move at all.

Paralyzed, Qymaen looked down at his body and saw that it had been turned to wood.

He screamed in pain as long strings grew from his arms and legs.

Something in the air then grabbed onto the strings and pulled Qymaen off the ground.

He shouted in defiance while he was pulled higher and higher into the air.

Soon, he was in space, where he could see all of Kalee burning before his eyes.

He looked up and saw a gigantic, robed figure lifting him by his strings like a marionette.

Qymaen tried to see the figure's face hidden beneath their hood.

When he couldn't, he shouted to them.

"Who are you?!"

 _Qymaen…_

 _Qymaen…_

…

"Qymaen!"

Grievous awoke on the same pile of sheets he'd fallen asleep on.

Ronderu was looking down at him.

"I heard you screaming. Are you alright?"

He pushed himself up and got back on his feet.

"…I'm fine."

But in his mind, he was cursing himself.

He was supposed to _give_ nightmares, not get them.

Perhaps being on Kalee again had reawakened some of his old fears.

Whatever the reason was, he would consider it later.

Right now, he had a mission to carry out.

Ronderu gestured towards the Izvoshra waiting outside his tent.

"Well, we're ready when you are."

Pushing the nightmare to the back of his mind, Grievous rejoined the Izvoshra and prepared to head out.

…

Dark clouds appeared in the sky as the Izvoshra rode on swoop bikes. The landscape before them was vast and barren, lacking in vegetation due to years of drought. Mountains lined a nearby shoreline leading to one of the planet's central oceans. Scavenging birds glided on an updraft overhead, waiting for any prey to fall victim to the endless desert.

Grievous hadn't ridden a swoop bike in years. It felt both odd and satisfying at the same time. He remembered some of the old races he'd get into with his fellow soldiers during the Huk War. Things were so much different back then.

After a few hours of riding, they finally reached their destination; the Bug Trap.

The prison was just as gaudy and rundown as Grievous remembered it. It resembled a massive colosseum, with a closed, steel roof and shielded windows that lined its dingy exterior. Its front entrance was guarded by two Parwans and barred off by heavy shielding. Each of the watchtowers was occupied by a single Wild Pack gunner, armed with a searchlight and laser turret.

The Izvoshra parked their bikes along the perimeter and hid inside a small cave.

As the triple dark commenced, Grievous hid behind a line of rocks and headed toward the Bug Trap.

If all went well, then the prison would soon be theirs.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The Floating Gun - Present

"Move it!"

A group of Besalisk guards escorted Ventress through the dungeon ship. They'd put her in stun cuffs and confiscated her lightsabers. Their electrostaffs remained trained on her as they led her to the bridge of the ship.

Ventress noticed that this ship was even more polished than the Gozanti. Its once archaic inner workings had been updated with newer security and ventilation systems. Cameras studied her every move while dozens of droids passed her by. In spite of these upgrades though, Ventress could still tell it was the Wild Pack. Their infamous symbol was littered throughout the ship, and the guards still wore their same old uniforms, despite having far superior armor and weapons. Perhaps they'd gotten more funding since she'd last encountered them. Or perhaps they'd just been stealing from the Republic again.

She didn't really care. Regardless of their new acquisitions, they would all be dead as soon as she got out of her cuffs.

A large blast door opened before her. Behind it was a long hallway leading to the bridge. As the guards escorted her through the hall, she noticed the surrounding voices growing quieter and quieter. By the time they reached the bridge's entrance, there was nothing but silence.

The bridge was a massive room filled with computers and racks of weaponry. At least a dozen Wild Pack guards stood at attention, not uttering a single word as they aimed their blasters at Ventress. While the guards brought her forward, she noticed a figure standing at the front of the room.

The figure was tall and slender, and dressed in a long, brown cloak. He had his back turned to Ventress and his hands clasped behind him. He seemed to be staring at Kalee through one of the bridge's windows. Ventress heard him speak under his breath.

"Such a poor, desolate world…"

His voice deepened.

"The Kaleesh should be _thanking_ me…"

Just then, one of the guards spoke up.

"Boss!"

The figure lifted his head.

"We've got the prisoner."

"Ah. Good."

Once he turned around, Ventress was able to identify his species.

Huk.

The Huk stood at three meters in height, with bright, yellow eyes and a green exoskeleton. He approached Ventress and looked down at her with a curious expression on his face.

"So _you're_ the one who sprung our trap? I must say I'm rather disappointed."

While studying the Huk, Ventress noticed something attached to the belt beneath his cloak. After taking a closer look, she realized that it was a lightsaber.

The Huk smirked.

"What's the matter, child? Have you never seen a _Jedi_ before?"


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Rattatak - 26 Years Ago

"Master!"

Asajj tried to yell over the hundreds of people screaming around her.

The Vulkars' attack had sent the entire town into a panic. Civilians ran through the streets as blasters fired in all directions. Dozens of buildings caught on fire, causing clouds of smoke to pollute the air. Terrified parents called out for their children from behind cover. And however many Wild Pack workers remained were either killed or captured by the Vulkars.

Asajj spotted a group of Weequay raiders running through the streets. She hid behind a corner and waited for them to pass. Once they were gone, she continued looking for her master. She kept telling herself that he was looking for her too. But she still feared the worst.

After checking her surroundings, she called out for him again.

"Master!"

Nothing.

She was starting to panic now.

As more civilians ran for cover, she walked past an abandoned building and called out once more.

"Master! Where are you?!"

Still nothing.

Asajj quickly turned around to search in the other direction. But as she did, she found someone lying on the ground.

A Siniteen.

For a moment, she told herself it wasn't him. But once she saw his face, her heart sank into her stomach.

It was Hal'Sted.

His body laid limp on the ground, his mouth hung open and his eyes glazed over. A mark from a single blaster shot rested in the center of his chest, just above his heart.

Asajj fell to her knees and tried to wake him up.

" _Master…_ "

But once again, there was nothing.

He was gone.

" _He killed you_ …"

Asajj was alone.

She had no one.

Kirske would just keep punishing her.

And the Vulkars would probably kill her.

She couldn't stay there.

She had to leave.

But where would she go?

What would she do?

How would she survive?

Suddenly, a strange noise caught her attention.

The noise was far off in the distance, yet still incredibly clear.

It was like a faint humming sound, but it definitely wasn't a ship.

Just then, five Weequay raiders came running down the street. As three of them ran past Asajj, the other two stayed behind and fired at something behind a building. Asajj looked over and tried to see what they were shooting at. All the while, she could hear the distant humming grow louder and louder.

All of a sudden, a human man with a green, glowing sword leapt out from behind the building. He used his sword to deflect the raiders' blasts and cut both of them down in the blink of an eye.

Asajj was stunned.

She'd never seen anyone move that fast.

As the man ran forward with his sword bared, he suddenly stopped and looked at Asajj. Asajj felt an odd, yet comforting presence as the two of them made eye contact.

It was then that she realized who the man was.

A Jedi.

Asajj had heard many stories of the Jedi and their exploits throughout the galaxy. But she'd never imagined actually seeing one of them in person.

While Asajj stared at the Jedi, he quickly turned away from her and deflected another blaster bolt.

Asajj turned around and saw another Weequay firing at him.

Without even thinking, she closed her eyes and pushed out with her hands. And the next thing she knew, the Weequay was sent flying through the air.

As the Weequay hit the ground about ten meters away, the Jedi turned back to Asajj with a look of astonishment on his face. With no one else attacking him, he put away his lightsaber and slowly approached Asajj.

Asajj could see that he had pale green eyes and long, brown hair tied back in a knot.

The Jedi spoke in a surprised, yet friendly tone.

"You are strong with the Force, little one."

He picked up Asajj while observing the area, ready to defend her if necessary. Once he was sure they were safe, he began asking her questions.

"Where are your parents?"

"I…don't have any."

"Do you have a place to stay?"

"…No."

The Jedi thought to himself for a moment.

"…Would you like to come with me?"

Asajj nodded.

"Okay then."

The Jedi quickly left the town with Asajj in his arms.

"I'll get you back to my camp before anymore raiders arrive."

"Who are you?"

"My name is Ky Narec. I'm a Jedi. Who are you?"

"Asajj."

"Well it's nice to meet you, Asajj."

Asajj had no idea who the Jedi was or where he was taking her.

But she didn't care.

All that mattered was that she had finally left the Wild Pack behind.

And she would never look back.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The Floating Gun - Present

"Who are you?"

The Huk couldn't help but smirk at Ventress's question.

"I am Pru Troc. Leader of the Wild Pack. And _you_ are now my prisoner."

"Flattered."

"You _should_ be. You are in the presence of the Jedi who is saving Wild Space."

"Saving?"

"Indeed, my dear."

Troc gestured towards Kalee.

"For millennia, these worlds have been suffering. S _truggling_ to survive. In _need_ of someone to guide them towards a better future."

He then gestured to himself.

"And I _am_ that better future. I am giving these planets peace and security. And ensuring that they do not fall in league with your _Separatists_."

Ventress's fists tightened.

"The Wild Pack doesn't bring peace. They only steal and destroy."

"They _used_ to. But now, their talents are being used for a noble cause."

" _Noble?!_ "

Ventress leapt at Troc with all of her fury. But the Jedi quickly stopped her with a Force choke. He shook his head while she struggled to breathe.

"Tsk tsk tsk. So headstrong…"

Troc released his grip and continued as Ventress gasped for air.

"Amusingly enough, your sentiments are quite similar to those of the Jedi Council. I told them that I'd been dealing with the criminal underworld in order to bring neutral systems to the side of the Republic. However, they deemed my actions to be unorthodox and expelled me from the Order. Though that didn't stop me from keeping _this_."

He took out his lightsaber and held it in his hand.

"And once I've secured these Wild Space worlds, I'll present them to the Jedi in exchange for reinstatement."

Ventress raised an eyebrow.

"You really expect that to work?"

Troc put away his lightsaber.

"Well I certainly _hope_ it does. But even if it doesn't, I'll _still_ have control over all of Wild Space. And the Separatists will have even _less_ ground in this war than they currently do."

"Not unless I _kill_ you first."

The guards raised their weapons as Troc gave a hearty laugh.

"You think you can kill a Jedi _Master_? All by _yourself_? Those are some high aspirations, child."

"I've killed Jedi Masters before."

"Really? Because from what _I've_ heard, you couldn't even best a _youngling_ in close combat."

Ventress's anger was growing.

"I appreciate the entertainment, but I really must get back to work. _Guards_. Escort her to her cell. And make sure she doesn't run off. I'd _hate_ to have to put a leash on her."

That did it.

With one swift motion, Ventress broke the stun cuffs in half. She then reached out and called her lightsabers to her hands. As they activated, she leapt at Troc and held the red blades to his throat. The guards aimed their weapons at Ventress. But with Troc at her mercy, they hesitated to fire. A smirk graced Ventress's face as she looked Troc right in the eyes.

"Woof."

The guards waited with anticipation. But Troc remained unfazed.

"Good trick. Now let's see if you know _this_ one."

Troc held up his hand. And in an instant, Ventress was knocked back by a bolt of lightning. Her back hit the floor as electricity singed her entire body. The pain was so sudden and intense that she couldn't even scream.

As the bolt vanished into thin air, Ventress looked up at Troc, who was now standing over her. She could barely keep her eyes open while she slipped out of consciousness. She saw Troc looking down at her with a look of satisfaction on his face.

"Enjoy your stay, child."

And then, darkness.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Kalee - Present

Ronderu was watching the prison through her binoculars.

"How long has it been?"

Tillodei checked the time.

"About half an hour."

"What's taking him so long? You think he's been captured?"

"Relax, Ru. I'm sure he's fine."

"But what if they catch him? Our cover could be blown."

"Let's give him ten more minutes. If their security isn't down by then, we'll go check on him."

"Fine…"

Ronderu mostly wanted to go check on Qymaen. But she also admittedly just wanted some action. She and the rest of the Izvoshra had been sitting quietly inside the cave, waiting for Qymaen to take out the security while the triple dark intensified. Visibility was so low that Ronderu could barely see the prison anymore. Frustrated, she put her binoculars away and rested her head on a rock.

Tillodei tried to pass the time with small talk.

"You sleep well last night?"

"Yeah."

"I could tell. You were snoring your head off."

"Sorry."

"No no, it's fine. I like when you snore. It's cute. You sound like a baby gundark."

Ronderu stifled a chuckle.

"Shut up..."

"No really! I've got a recording of it."

Tillodei took out a recorder.

"I'll play it for you right now!"

"Shut up!"

The two of them started laughing as Ronderu wrestled the recorder away from Tillodei. She then reached over and pulled Tillodei in for a kiss. Their kiss lasted for a few seconds, and they couldn't help but giggle as they pulled away from each other. Once they both calmed down, Tillodei asked another question.

"So how long have you known Qymaen anyway?"

Ronderu thought to herself for a moment and then sighed.

"God, I don't even _know_. We fought alongside each other for _years_. I still remember his fighting style and the way he'd lead his soldiers into battle."

"I take it he didn't use _lightsabers_ back then?"

"Oh no. He didn't start using lightsabers until…"

She stopped.

Her smile suddenly faded.

"…Until what?"

She looked down at the floor of the cave.

"The Battle of Huk."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Huk - 14 Years Ago

"Ready, dad?"

"I hope so…"

Qymaen and Nollus looked down at the surface of Huk; a tropical world named for the beings who inhabited it. With the help of a few dozen battalions, they'd stolen an unmanned warship and used it to travel to the very home of their enemies. Now, they would launch an attack on the planet's capital city, and hopefully bring an end to the Huk's invasions once and for all.

Over the past four years, Qymaen had risen to the rank of general, outranking his father and becoming one of the pivotal leaders of the Kaleesh Army. Alongside Nollus and Ronderu, he'd lead his soldiers to victory after victory, saving thousands of Kaleesh and killing millions of Huk.

His achievements throughout the war had made him a legend among his people, earning him the moniker Qymaen the Conqueror.

Ronderu had also made a name for herself, obtaining the rank of colonel and joining Qymaen's personal cadre; the Izvoshra. As a member of the Izvoshra, she'd grown from a mercenary into an elite warrior. Her knowledge of Teräs Käsi gave her an edge in combat, and she'd taught the technique to countless other Kaleesh, including Qymaen and Nollus.

With the three of them leading the charge, the Kaleesh Army had finally managed to back their enemies into a corner. And hopefully, this would be the last time they'd ever have to face the Huk in battle.

Hopefully, this would mark the end of the Huk War.

As they approached the capital city of Yamiir, Qymaen went over the plan with his father.

"You, Ronderu and I will use our roggwarts to destroy the city's outer defenses. Once they're down, the rest of the Izvoshra will lead our battalions to the Queen's palace. We'll meet up with them inside the palace and help them capture the Queen and her delegates. With them as our prisoners, we'll demand for our soldiers to be released and for the Kalee invasions to stop."

Nollus sighed as he gazed down at the forest-covered planet below.

"I can't believe it's almost over. Centuries of fighting. Millions of deaths. Entire generations lost to war and bloodshed. And here we are. At the home of our enemies. At the end of it all."

He saw the city taking shape in the distance.

"Let's hope it goes as planned."

Qymaen put his hand on Nollus's shoulder.

"Don't worry. We've got this."

Nollus smiled and gave his son a hug.

"Attaboy."

…

As the warship approached Yamiir, Qymaen, Nollus and Ronderu climbed onto their roggwarts. The animals were well into their adulthood, and they each sported dozens of scars from years of fighting. Their armor had been upgraded with duranium plating, giving them more protection from enemy fire. They'd also been trained to fight independently of their riders, making it easier for them to be dismounted during combat.

Gor, Qymaen's roggwart had been especially well trained. He had loyally followed his master into every battle, obliterating enemy defenses and tearing apart Huk soldiers with his teeth and claws. In fact, Huk soldiers had become a regular part of Gor's diet. He seemed to even prefer them to the slabs of raw Muumuu meat he was fed every day.

But despite his ruthlessness in combat, he was also extremely protective of Qymaen. Not a moment went by where he wasn't by his master's side, guarding him and ensuring his safety. Gor was one of the closest friends Qymaen had ever had. And he wasn't afraid to ride into battle with him one last time.

Before heading out, Qymaen pulled out a slab of meat and chucked it over to Gor, who eagerly caught it in his mouth. Qymaen then grabbed onto his harness and patted him on the leg.

"Ready, boy?"

Gor gave an ecstatic roar as Qymaen climbed up to his saddle. Once on the saddle, Qymaen positioned himself and reached for the reins. Nollus and Ronderu followed suit, getting their own roggwarts ready for what would hopefully be their final mission.

A large thud shook the entire hangar as the warship finally landed. Qymaen looked down at his Lig sword and took a deep breath.

 _This is it._

The hangar doors unlocked and began to slide open. As they did, the capital city became fully visible. Tall, spiral shaped towers reached for the skies, while hundreds of Huk civilians dotted the neatly paved roads. Massive proton cannons lined the city's perimeter, and the Queen's armored fortress stood proudly in the distance.

Once the door opened, Qymaen, Nollus and Ronderu all whistled, and their roggwarts charged out onto the city streets.

The nearby residents immediately went into a panic, running and screaming at the sight of the massive creatures. However, the residents weren't their targets. Prior to their arrival, Nollus had reminded everyone to avoid civilian casualties at all cost. Their mission was to free the Kaleesh prisoners and end the attacks on their home world. And they would avoid needless deaths as much as possible.

The proton cannons reared upward and opened fire. But the three roggwarts managed to avoid every blast. They then bared their claws and tore through the cannons' thick outer shells. Even the Huk's most powerful weapons were rarely a match for fully grown roggwarts. And the fact that they'd arrived in a Huk warship had given them the element of surprise. Despite the city's defenses, the Huk had been taken completely off guard. With any luck, this would lead to a quick and easy victory.

The roggwarts ran along the city's perimeter, destroying every cannon in their path. As Gor knocked one of them over with his tail, Qymaen noticed a dozen Huk tanks heading for their position. The tanks were nearly fruit-like in appearance, with round, pale green exteriors and ball-shaped repulser units that allowed them to hover above the ground. The tanks aimed their turrets at Gor and fired. But Qymaen managed to grab onto his reins and steer him out of the way just in time. He then whistled once more and pointed at the line of tanks. Gor quickly turned his attention to the tanks, rushing at one of them and biting off its central turret.

Qymaen then heard Nollus yell into his comm unit.

"The cannons are down! Storm the fortress now!"

Almost immediately, waves of Kaleesh soldiers began pouring out from the warship onto the streets of Yamiir. The Izvoshra lead in the front while the massive battalions followed them into battle. As the soldiers joined the fight, Nollus and Ronderu guided their roggwarts toward the tanks. Gor had already taken out three of them. The remaining nine wouldn't stand a chance.

Sirens sounded throughout the city while blaster bolts filled the air. Some of the Huk soldiers abandoned their tanks to fight out in the open. However, the Kaleesh's numbers were far too overwhelming. The enemy forces were quickly obliterated, leaving a clear path to the Queen's fortress. The battalions charged onward with the roggwarts following close behind. Not a single Huk soldier or vehicle stood in their way. At this rate, they would take the city within an hour.

Qymaen had never felt more alive.

Years of fighting.

Years of tasting blood and stitching wounds.

Years of watching his people suffer and die.

It was all about to end.

Finally.

 _Finally._

He could see the fortress.

It was so close.

The end of the war was right there.

Waiting for him.

 _Beckoning_ him.

But then, he stopped.

Gor suddenly froze in place while the soldiers ran ahead.

Qymaen yelled to Gor in confusion.

"Gor? What is it? Why did you stop?"

But Gor didn't respond.

Instead, he lifted his head and looked up at the sky.

His gaze seemed fixed on the space above the palace.

The wind was picking up.

Qymaen felt a chill.

Something was happening.

Suddenly, a deafening boom filled the skies.

Qymaen looked up to see a red and white warship looming over the city.

The Kaleesh soldiers below had all stopped dead in their tracks, gazing up at the ship in silence.

Qymaen recognized the ship.

It was from the Republic.

But the Republic rarely _ever_ ventured into Wild Space.

Let alone with one of their _warships_.

Had they come to fight the Huk themselves?

That couldn't be.

The Huk War had been going on for _centuries_.

Why would they come _now_?

Just then, the warship began to descend.

The Kaleesh soldiers quickly moved out of the way, allowing the ship to land in front of them.

Once the ship had landed, its front ramp slowly fell open.

On top of the ramp stood a few dozen figures dressed in brown cloaks. They all seemed to be of different ages and species.

As the figures descended the ramp, Qymaen felt a strange presence emanating from them.

And once they reached the ground, he realized what they were.

 _Jedi_.

The Jedi stood calmly before the Kaleesh soldiers, silently observing them from beneath their obscuring hoods.

The soldiers waited with anticipation, keeping their weapons drawn just in case.

After minutes of silence, one of the Jedi finally stepped forward. Even with his cloak on, he was noticeably more tall and slender than the others.

The Jedi stopped a few meters away from the Kaleesh and removed his hood.

He was Huk.

Shouts of confusion and rage erupted from the crowd of soldiers.

But they were quickly subdued by the sound of the Jedi's voice.

"Kaleesh!"

His voice was deep and loud. So much so that it echoed through the quiet streets of Yamiir.

The Jedi spoke commandingly to the hundreds of soldiers standing before him.

"Lower your weapons and return to your ship at once! Your days of terrorizing this world are _over_!"


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Kalee - Present

Grievous was getting agitated.

It was taking him an eternity to reach the prison's security room. He'd managed to slip past the organic scanners undetected. But the facility was still crawling with guards and lookout droids. He'd never had to be this stealthy before. Not even during the Huk War. It seemed like so much as a single breath could cause him to be discovered.

Fortunately though, his flexible cyborg body helped him to stay out of sight. Maneuvering through tight spaces was never an issue for him, even when his joints were locked up. His talent for escaping from dire situations had allowed him to survive the destruction of the Malevolence, as well as the invasion of his lair by the Jedi.

There were times where he was better at escaping than he was at fighting.

And this infuriated him to no end.

Dooku had promised to turn him into a weapon. An unstoppable machine that could strike down even the strongest of Jedi with ease. But he could barely hold his own against them without a squad of MagnaGuards backing him up.

Luckily, the Wild Pack didn't even come close to the Jedi. So while disabling the Bug Trap's security would be difficult, taking over the prison from there would be all too easy. Especially with the Izvoshra by his side.

After sneaking past another patrol, Grievous looked ahead and noticed a blast door at the end of the hall. He maintained his grip on the ceiling and crawled toward the door as quietly as he could. Upon reaching the door, he observed its external mechanisms and realized that it was locked from the inside.

Acting fast but remaining quiet, Grievous crawled up to an air vent overhead and gently pried it open. The air vent was extremely tight, but that wasn't an issue for Grievous. He brought his limbs close to his torso and easily slipped inside. After closing the gate behind him, he crawled through the vent until he reached another gate just a few meters down.

Grievous peered through the gate and saw the room that the blast door had been protecting. Inside the room were dozens of consoles with screens showing the prison's many entrances and exits. There were also a couple of guards facing something that Grievous couldn't see.

After crawling further through the vent, Grievous reached another gate which gave him a better view of the area.

Looking through the gate, he saw that the guards had their blasters trained on five Kaleesh prisoners. The prisoners appeared to be soldiers, with war tunics and skull-shaped masks. They were all bound and gagged with cloths tied around their eyes and mouths. They kneeled down on the floor with their hands behind their backs while the Wild Pack guards prepared to fire if necessary.

Grievous realized that the soldiers could be killed if he tried entering the room now. So instead, he decided to divert the guards' attention first.

Crawling out of the vent, he returned to the blast door and swiftly knocked on it. He could hear the guards stirring inside as a few of them ran over to check the door. While they did, Grievous crawled back inside the vent and returned to the gate he'd just been looking through. He saw the guards open the blast door and confusedly look for the source of the noise.

After talking for a few minutes, the guards finally decided to split up. Half of them would stay with the prisoners, while the other half would search for the intruder. As four of the guards left the room, Grievous unscrewed the bolts on the gate and carefully pulled it off. Placing the gate on the ground, he crawled out of the vent and latched onto the room's ceiling, keeping quiet while the remaining guards kept watch over the prisoners.

He took pleasure in observing his targets without them being aware of his presence. He found the anticipation of their inevitable deaths endlessly satisfying. He could already see the looks of terror in their eyes as he struck from above, like a bird descending upon a rodent.

Once Grievous was directly above the four guards, he quietly unlatched his arms and took up a lightsaber in each of his four hands. He then positioned the lightsabers so that each one was aimed at a different guard's head.

He closed his eyes.

He held his breath.

And in the blink of an eye, each lightsaber turned on and off again, leaving smoking holes in the guards' skulls.

As they fell to the floor dead, Grievous put away his weapons and dropped down from the ceiling. But before he could free the captured Kaleesh, he heard someone shout.

"Hey! Stop right there!"

Grievous looked up to see that the four other guards had returned. They immediately aimed their blasters at him.

"Don't move, droid!"

He moved.

Protecting the prisoners, Grievous leapt at the guards and knocked them back into the hall. He then pulled his lightsabers back out and swung them wildly. The guards fired their blasters, but Grievous quickly disarmed them and cut them to pieces.

As Grievous killed the last of the guards, five armored Besalisks spotted him from down the hall. Each of the Besalisks sported two electrostaffs and a set of orange armor. They quickly charged at Grievous, surrounding him and pushing him back into the security room.

The Kaleesh prisoners moved out of the way as Grievous struggled against his opponents. He was moving as fast as he could to block each strike from their electrostaffs. But the Besalisks were extremely formidable, attacking from multiple angles with a kind of strength the General had never faced before. They quickly managed to gain the upper hand, backing Grievous into a corner and knocking away one of his lightsabers. One of the Besalisks then lunged at Grievous and thrust their electrostaff into his chest. The shock from the staff fried Grievous's gut-sack, causing him to scream in agony. As he clutched at his chest, the other two Besalisks stabbed at his arms and legs until he finally fell over.

Grievous was in so much pain that he couldn't even curse himself.

How had he let this happen again?

How had he fallen so far since Hypori?

How had he become so _weak_?

Shock after shock set his entire body ablaze, scorching his armor and ravaging his organs.

He felt like he was in Hell.

He wanted it to end.

He wanted to die.

But then, he heard them.

"Stupid droid…"

"Worthless…"

"Think we could use his parts?"

"Nah. What good would they be?"

"He's just a walking scrap pile."

"I say we toss him out with the garbage."

"Hit him again. I think he's still moving."

One of the Besalisks raised his staff to deliver another shock. But as he thrust the staff forward, Grievous caught it with his hand.

The Besalisk froze as Grievous held onto his weapon and looked him dead in the eyes.

"I. Am. Not. A. _Droid!_ "

Then, without warning, Grievous took the staff and rammed it through the Besalisk's stomach. The staff fried his insides and burned a hole straight through his back as it pierced his spinal column. The Besalisk cried out in pain and convulsed violently until he finally fell over dead. As the four remaining guards stood frozen in horror, Grievous pulled out the staff from the dead Besalisk's stomach and wielded it along with his lightsabers.

He then lunged at the guards with a feral, guttural scream.

" _I will kill you all!"_

With that, Grievous shed the last of his inhibitions and unleashed his full fury. Time seemed to stop as he struck down each of the guards one by one. He saw red as he used his lightsabers to scorch their skin and cut through their flesh. A loud ringing filled his audio receptors to the point that he couldn't even hear them screaming. But that didn't matter. All that mattered was that he was in control. There was no time. There was no mission. There was only him and the thrill of the fight. The slaughter lasted for minutes on end. And he reveled in every moment of it.

Once the guards were dead, Grievous finally calmed down and fell to his knees. He took a few seconds to catch his breath and process what had happened. He then looked up from the floor and saw the mangled, bloody remains of the Besalisk guards. They were nearly unrecognizable as they sat motionless in puddles of cerulean blood. Grievous couldn't remember the last time he'd seen this much carnage.

The security consoles were also completely destroyed, effectively disabling the Bug Trap's security systems. The rest of the room was in an even worse state, with shattered glass and broken metal littering the floor. Grievous had caused even more damage than he'd realized. He'd been so focused on fighting that he hadn't once taken notice of his surroundings.

Suddenly, a thought entered his mind.

Pushing himself up from the bloodstained floor, he got back on his feet and looked for the Kaleesh prisoners.

His heart stopped once he saw them.

They'd been completely mutilated, reduced to bits of charred skin and flesh that lay scattered throughout the room. Some of their remains continued to burn, filling the room with a sick and noxious odor. Grievous tried in vain to find a single Kaleesh who had survived his onslaught.

But there were none.

Grievous had killed them all.

Overcome with guilt, the General fell to his knees and stared at the gruesome sight before him.

He had killed countless times before.

He'd taken millions of lives throughout the Huk War and the Clone War.

But he had _never_ killed fellow Kaleesh.

Let alone his own soldiers.

Those soldiers had probably been in prison for _years_.

Waiting for someone to come for them.

Hoping against hope that they would someday be free.

And then, when their general finally returned to help them, he instead killed them all in a blind rage.

Grievous had told himself that his days of being a mindless weapon were over.

That he had moved on and returned to his old life as Qymaen.

But now, he knew that would be impossible.

No matter what he did, no matter where he went, no matter what he told himself, he was still General Grievous.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

The Floating Gun - Present

 _Master…_

Ventress tried to concentrate from within her cell.

The guards had taken her communicators, so the Force was her only means of contacting anyone.

She had spent hours trying to find a way to escape. But the cell's walls were incredibly fortified, and its laser shield was nearly impenetrable.

In desperation, she'd gone into a meditative state and begun reaching out to her master. Under any other circumstance, she would've continued on by herself. But the Wild Pack was far more well-equipped than she'd realized. Especially with a Jedi Master leading their forces. She had decided that Separatist intervention would be necessary for their elimination.

Since Serenno was hundreds of parsecs away, Ventress would have to reach out farther than she'd ever reached before. She cleared her mind of extraneous thoughts until she was solely focused on her master.

She called out to him again.

 _Master…_

There was a response, but it was faint.

She called out once more, putting everything into her concentration.

 _Master…Do you hear me?_

Silence.

And then, an answer.

 _Ventress?_

 _Master._

 _Why are you contacting me this way?_

 _I've been captured by the Wild Pack. They have invaded Kalee under the leadership of a Jedi._

 _What Jedi?_

 _A Huk named Pru Troc. He is strong with the dark side._

 _…I see. And have you dealt with him?_

 _I attacked him. But he caught me off guard and locked me in a cell on his ship. I need you to send reinforcements to my location._

 _Why?_

 _Because there are too many of them for me to take out by myself._

 _Are you certain of this?_

 _Yes._

 _So you admit weakness._

 _What? No! I…_

 _Ventress. Time and time again, you've told me that you are worthy of becoming a Sith. And yet, you continue to exhibit the one trait that no Sith should ever possess. Fear._

 _I am not afraid._

 _Then why do you refuse to push on?_

 _Because I am trapped._

 _The only thing entrapping you is yourself. By conceding this mission, you are giving into your fear and accepting defeat. You will never escape your chains if you aren't willing to break them._

 _Master…_

 _I cannot break your chains for you, child. You must seize your potential and prove your worth to the dark side. I will leave you now to do so. Hopefully, you will not be killed. Lest I will have to find another apprentice._

 _Master?_

 _Master!_

He was gone.

Ventress was alone.

Her fists tightened in frustration.

She couldn't take out the Wild Pack by herself.

She was outnumbered and outmatched.

Dooku had promised to teach her the ways of the dark side.

And yet, he had left her to die on that infernal ship.

How would she escape?

How would she stop the Wild Pack?

How would she find Grievous?

What was she supposed to do?

Ventress grew more and more enraged at the thought of her master's apathy.

His utter lack of regard for her and her training.

His nonchalance towards her possible death.

His willingness to replace her if she failed.

The fact that he still saw her as a _child_.

Not as a Sith. Not as an apprentice. But as a _child_.

Her anger built up inside her until it finally bubbled to the surface.

She then broke her meditative state and shouted in frustration.

 _"Dooku!"_

As she yelled, a burst of dark side energy erupted from her body, rupturing the cell walls and destroying the laser shield before her.

Ventress looked around in surprise. Her Force attacks had never caused this much damage before. But rather than question it, she instead got back to her feet and quickly exited what remained of her cell.

She was free. For now. And she would use that opportunity to try and escape from the Wild Pack's ship.

Perhaps she _would_ be able to complete this mission by herself.

Perhaps she would not need her master after all.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Rattatak - 26 Years Ago

"How is it?"

Asajj answered while reaching for another bread roll.

"Delicious!"

She'd been living off of table scraps for so long that she'd forgotten what real food tasted like.

Ky Narec smiled as she scarfed down the last of her meal. He waited for her to finish before asking her another question.

"I assume the Wild Pack didn't have this much food?"

"They did. But they only gave me whatever they had left over."

"You must've been _hungry_ then."

"Yeah. Sometimes my master would try to get me more, but they wouldn't let him. So I just had to get used to it."

Narec's smile faded. He couldn't stand the thought of a child being forced to starve like that. Noticing her empty glass, he grabbed his kettle and poured her some more tea. He continued while she drank.

"I'm sorry you were treated like that for so long. If I'd only come here sooner…"

Asajj finished and put down her glass.

"It's okay. I'm just glad you found me. If it weren't for you, I would've been killed. Thank you."

Narec's smile returned.

Asajj then asked him a question of her own.

"So…why do you live here? I thought the Jedi all lived on Coruscant."

He half chuckled to himself before answering her.

"Well, they do. But _I_ haven't been to Coruscant in a very long time."

"Why?"

Narec looked down at the floor and thought to himself for a second. He then looked back up at Asajj and began to explain.

"For many years now, the Jedi have been struggling to maintain peace in the galaxy. Even with our great numbers, we can only do so much. And unfortunately, many worlds continue to suffer without our intervention."

He continued while pouring them both more tea.

"A few years ago, I informed the Jedi Council of the situation on Rattatak. I told them that its people were suffering at the hands of warlords and that our intervention would be necessary for their survival. However, the Council was hesitant to offer assistance, since the Jedi were already being pushed to their limits by the needs of Core, Mid Rim, and Outer Rim worlds. And sadly, the needs of a poorer Wild Space world weren't as big of a priority for them at the time."

"But they still let you come here?"

Narec put the kettle down.

"Well…no. They didn't. I came here of my own accord."

"Without telling them?"

"Yes. And as soon as I arrived, my ship was shot down by a couple of Vulkars. I crashed about a mile from here and decided to set up camp near the town. I've been here ever since."

"You didn't call for help?"

"Oh I did. _Many_ times. I sent out distress calls to Coruscant for _months,_ but…the Council never contacted me back."

He took a sip from his glass.

"I've spent the last few years fighting Rattatak's warlords myself, staving off their attacks and helping the locals in any way I can."

Asajj took a sip from her glass as well.

"Back at the town, you told me I was strong with the _Force_. What does that mean? What's the Force?"

Narec smiled once again and reached out with his hand. His glass then began to float up from the table.

"The Force is the energy within all living things. It gives the Jedi their power and connects them with the universe. It speaks to us through organisms in our blood, and allows us to accomplish extraordinary feats."

"Can I use it too?"

"Yes. That's how you saved me from that raider. In fact, you are more connected with the Force than _most_ people I've encountered."

"So why couldn't I use it earlier?"

"The Force manifests itself in different ways at different times. Most Force users don't realize their true potential until adulthood. And some even go their entire lives without knowing they can use it."

He lowered his hand and gently placed his glass back on the table.

"But no matter what, the Force will _always_ be with you. And if you listen to it and allow it to guide you, you can accomplish _anything_."

 _Anything…_

Asajj thought back to what Hal'Sted had told her.

 _We're both a part of this screwed-up system now. And there's no turning back. Not for you, not for me…not for any of us._

But what if there _was_?

What if they could break _away_ from the system?

What if they could _defeat_ the warlords and their gangs?

What if they could be _free_?

As Narec took another sip of his drink, Asajj asked him a question that would change her life forever.

"Can you teach me?"

The Jedi stopped drinking and looked at Asajj, his eyes wide with surprise.

"Teach you?"

"To be a Jedi. I wanna help you stop the warlords and free Rattatak. I wanna learn about the Force and use it to help people. I don't wanna be a slave. I wanna be a _knight_. I wanna make things _better_."

She paused for a moment before continuing.

"So…will you teach me? Please?"

After a brief silence, Narec responded.

"The training of a Jedi is extremely difficult. It requires great patience and discipline. Are you sure you're ready?"

Asajj nodded.

"I'm ready."

Another brief silence, and then Narec smiled once more.

"Very well. We'll begin tomorrow."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The Floating Gun - Present

"Boss! We've got a problem!"

Pru Troc sighed as he broke his meditation and spoke to the guard behind him.

"What is it _now_?"

"The Bug Trap's all-clear signal has stopped transmitting. And we can't contact anyone from inside the prison. We think it might've been compromised."

Troc lowered his head in contemplation.

"Hmm. Well. We can't have _that_ , now can we? Order the pilots to bring us down to Kalee. We will investigate this matter ourselves."

"Yes, sir!"

Troc resumed his meditation while the guard ran off.

 _I thought I'd sensed a familiar presence down there. Perhaps this day won't be so dull after all._

…

"Hey Jeff."

"Yeah?"

"Why are we moving?"

"Beats me."

While guarding the escape pods, two Selkath guards were looking through one of the ship's windows. They could see Kalee getting closer and closer.

"Maybe it's time for a refuel."

"After a couple hours of drifting? I doubt it."

"Well what do _you_ think it is then?"

"I dunno. A security breach?"

"I wish. That'd actually be _exciting_."

"Yeah. This day's been pretty uneventful. We haven't even gotten paid yet."

"Jeff. We _never_ get paid."

"Wait. Really?"

"Really."

"Huh. Never noticed."

Just then, a red beam of light came flying down the hall toward the escape pods. The beam quickly cut through one of the guards' necks, decapitating him and causing him to fall over dead.

"Oh my god! Jeff!"

The beam then came back around and killed the other guard as well, leaving both of their lifeless bodies sprawled out on the floor.

Once they'd been killed, Ventress stepped out from behind a corner and called her lightsaber to her hand. As it returned to her, she stepped over the dead guards and dug her blades into the unguarded blast door.

It took her less than a minute to carve a hole in the door and push her way into the adjoining room.

Inside were at least a dozen escape pods all neatly lined up for deployment. And luckily, their security wasn't anything Ventress hadn't dealt with before. She'd been hacking into complex security systems since she was a child. So taking one of these pods would be a walk in the park for her.

Keeping an eye on the door, she approached the nearest pod and began to bypass its security console. Various symbols flashed across the screen as she unlocked the pod and set its destination; the same one she'd set for her starfighter.

As the pod's door opened, Ventress heard more guards shouting from down the hall. Acting quickly, she used the Force to block the entrance with supplies scattered throughout the room. She then entered the escape pod and waited while it closed back up and jettisoned itself into space.

The pod gave a mild lurch as it was shot out from the Wild Pack's ship. Ventress saw the ship growing smaller and smaller through the pod's only window. Looking around, she immediately felt discomfort from being stuck in such a cramped space. In an attempt to calm herself, she sat down on the floor in a meditative position. She then closed her eyes and took deep breaths as she focused on the mission at hand.

Once she landed on Kalee, she would locate her ship.

She would then track down Grievous and return him to the Separatists.

And if the Wild Pack tried to interfere, then they would be destroyed.

Along with their Jedi leader.

Ventress continued to meditate as the pod entered Kalee's atmosphere.

The violent shaking and sounds of breaking metal meant nothing to her.

She wasn't afraid.

She wasn't weak.

She wasn't a child.

She was _Sith_.

And she would succeed.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Kalee - Present

"After that day, Qymaen just wasn't the same. I helped him as much as I _could_ , but…he almost seemed like a different person."

Tillodei looked Ronderu in the eyes.

"It's not your fault, Ru. There wasn't anything you could've done. Sometimes, things happen that we can't prevent. And war does _terrible_ things to people."

"I know. I just…I just wish I could've done _more_ for him."

"You did everything you could. But some things are just out of our control. And you shouldn't beat yourself up over it."

Ronderu sighed to herself.

"Easier said than done."

Tillodei was silent for a moment, and then she placed her hand on Ronderu's prosthetic hand.

"Look. I get wanting to focus on all the things you did wrong. On the things you could've done better. But you should _also_ think about the things you did _right_. About all the _people_ you saved and the _differences_ you made. Learning from our victories is just as important as learning from our defeats. And learning from _both_ helps us grow and become better. So don't treat yourself like garbage, okay? Because you're _not_. You're the most amazing person I've ever met."

A smile appeared on Ronderu's face as she held Tillodei's hand.

"…You know what the best thing to come out of all this was?"

"What?"

She then pulled Tillodei in for a hug.

"I met _you_."

Tillodei smiled and hugged Ronderu in return.

While they embraced, Tillodei opened her eyes and noticed something in the distance.

"Ru! The prison!"

Ronderu quickly got out her binoculars and looked in the direction of the Bug Trap.

All of its security lights had been shut off, leaving it just barely visible in the triple dark.

"He did it!"

Ronderu then put her binoculars away and called to the rest of the Izvoshra.

"Izvoshra! To arms!"

The Kaleesh warriors immediately got to their feet, baring their weapons and donning their war masks. And once they were ready, Ronderu led them out onto the field.

The Izvoshra were completely silent as they made their way toward the prison. Ronderu could feel the mud beneath her boots and the rain pounding against her back. Luckily, she and the rest of her warriors were always prepared for Kalee's unpredictable weather. And the bouts of thunder and lightning overhead were sure to keep the guards distracted.

After minutes of trudging through puddles, Ronderu finally saw the Bug Trap's front entrance in the distance. She also saw the two Parwan guards still keeping watch, each one with an electrostaff in hand. The Parwans immediately noticed the approaching Kaleesh and began floating towards them. Ronderu then called her warriors to action.

"Izvoshra! Attack!"

As the rain intensified, the Izvoshra engaged the two Parwan guards. Unlike the enemies they'd previously faced, the Parwans were not limited to ground combat, since their gas-filled bodies allowed them to effortlessly drift through the air. This along with their slender forms gave them an increased advantage in battle.

The Izvoshra struggled to defend themselves as the Parwans encircled them like birds of prey, striking at them with their electrostaffs from seemingly impossible angles. With time running out and the storm gaining momentum, Ronderu tried to keep track of the Parwans and find an opening to attack.

Then suddenly, without even thinking, Tillodei grabbed one of the Parwans by his tentacles and hurled him into his partner. Caught off guard, the two Parwans were knocked out of the loop they'd trapped the Izvoshra in, giving their opponents a moment to regain their focus.

While the Parwans became entangled in each other's appendages, the Izvoshra quickly drew their blasters and fired on the two guards, killing them both and allowing their buoyant corpses to drift off aimlessly into the storm.

With the guards dead, the Izvoshra pressed onward, breaking through the prison's entrance and entering one of its many hallways. Armed guards of various species came at them from every direction. But the Izvoshra were prepared.

Keeping their backs to one another, they operated like a symbiotic organism, each warrior defending their group from a different angle and assisting one another when possible. The Izvoshra had been trained to fight as one, both figuratively and literally. Even when one was injured, they continued to press on, their movements and formations synchronized to near perfection.

The Izvoshra pressed on until they reached the end of the hallway, which led to an intersection of connecting vents and corridors. Once the guards had finally stopped pouring in, the Kaleesh warriors took a moment to regather themselves, checking their belongings and addressing the injuries they'd sustained while fighting. As they did so, Ronderu studied the surrounding area for any immediate threats. While checking the hallway to her left, she noticed an opened blast door that lead to a large, closed off room. Through the entrance, she saw a figure dressed in a long, black cape, kneeling down beside what appeared to be a Kaleesh prisoner.

After taking a closer look, she realized that the figure in the cape was Qymaen.

Ronderu called to him from down the hall.

"Qymaen!"

When he didn't respond, she quickly ran toward the room he was in, with Tillodei and the rest of the Izvoshra following close behind.

But once they all reached the room, their eyes widened with shock at the horrific sight before them.

The mangled bodies of Kaleesh prisoners and Besalisk guards lay strewn about the area, with spatters of blood and bits of broken metal coating the steel floor. Qymaen was knelt down by one of the slain prisoners, completely motionless as he gazed upon their body with guilt-ridden eyes.

Minutes of silence passed until Ronderu finally spoke up.

"…Qymaen?"

Another brief silence. And then, with his stance unchanged, Qymaen responded with a heavy tremble in his voice.

"…I killed them…"

"…The guards?"

"The prisoners…The soldiers…I killed them…"

The Izvoshra looked at one another in disbelief. None of them knew what to say or do.

But Ronderu continued to speak with her friend.

"…How? Why?"

Qymaen's gaze remained locked on the corpse in front of him.

"…I lost control…The guards…I wanted them to stop…I didn't…"

Lowering her guard, Ronderu began to step toward Qymaen.

Tillodei whispered to her.

"Ru, wait!"

But before she could get any closer, the floor beneath her suddenly began to shake. The entire room vibrated as a massive tremor sent shockwaves through the ground. The Izvoshra braced themselves on the surrounding walls to keep themselves from falling over. Qymaen got back on his feet and held onto Ronderu, helping her keep her balance.

As the tremor finally subsided, a loud, humming noise began to emanate from outside the Bug Trap. The Izvoshra ran over to one of the room's windows to find the source of the noise.

Through the pouring rain and heavy clouds, they saw a colossal dungeon ship resting on a plot of land less than a kilometer away from the prison. As the ship's lights turned on, the Izvoshra noticed dozens of Wild Pack guards filing out onto the field with a tall, hooded figure leading in the front.

Ronderu felt a chill run down her spine as the figure marched calmly through the storm.

Pru Troc had returned.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Huk - 14 Years Ago

"Kaleesh! Lower your weapons and return to your ship at once! Your days of terrorizing this world are _over_! Leave now and there will be no further consequences! Refuse, and you will answer to the Republic for your crimes!"

Had Qymaen heard the Jedi right?

Had they just accused the _Kaleesh_ of terrorizing the _Huk_?

Had they not been paying attention for the past few centuries?

Had the Huk deceived them into taking their side?

Had they agreed to assist them in exchange for their resources?

Whatever the case was, Qymaen didn't care.

He wasn't about to turn back now. Not when they were so close to finally ending this war.

Unshaken by the Huk Jedi's words, Qymaen called down to him from atop his roggwart.

"We will _not_ be denied our freedom, Jedi! And we will _fight_ you if we must!"

As the Kaleesh soldiers bared their weapons, the Jedi began dropping their robes and reaching for their lightsabers. The Huk Jedi shouted to the Kaleesh once more.

"Then _we_ shall keep the peace!"

He then dropped his own robe and pulled his lightsaber from his belt. A grin graced his face as he activated its orange blade. While the rest of the Jedi followed suit, the Huk held his blade in front of his face and placed his free left hand behind his back.

There was a brief pause as both armies stood completely still, facing one another with their weapons ready.

Then, in the midst of the silence, Qymaen lifted his Lig sword above his head and shouted into the sky.

 _"_ _Attack!"_

In an instant, hundreds of Kaleesh soldiers charged forward, their war cries filling the streets of Yamiir as they raced toward their opposition head-on.

Meanwhile, the Jedi stood calmly in place, waiting for the Kaleesh to approach them before making their move.

And once they did, the tide of the battle quickly turned.

Despite their superior numbers, the Kaleesh were no match for the dozens of Jedi standing before them. None of them had ever faced a force sensitive in combat before. And even their most durable weapons couldn't withstand a single strike from a lightsaber. Their shouts of defiance quickly turned into cries of pain and fear as the Jedi began striking them down with ease.

Qymaen's face went pale with terror. His soldiers had faced difficult odds before. But they'd never been so completely overwhelmed in such a short amount of time. He could see the Jedi pushing them back with the Force and cutting them apart with their glowing blades. In mere seconds, their unanimous will to fight had all but dissipated. Some of them had even started retreating back to the ship they'd arrived on.

Was this really it?

Had the battle been lost?

Had they come all this way just to lose?

 _No._

Lifting his Lig sword once again, Qymaen called over to Nollus and Ronderu.

"On the ground! _Now!_ "

The three of them then dismounted their roggwarts and leapt down onto the streets below. Once they landed, they looked up at their roggwarts and whistled, permitting them to fight on their own. Despite their massive size, they were trained to singe out enemy targets in crowded war zones. As they began to flank the opposing Jedi, Qymaen, Nollus and Ronderu charged headfirst into battle.

Ronderu quickly regrouped with the Izvoshra, who were locked in combat with two Jedi; one Tusken and one Belugan. The Jedi were extremely fast and using Force barriers to protect themselves from blaster fire. Fortunately, the Izvoshra's knowledge of Teräs Käsi gave them enough of an advantage for them to keep up with their opponents. While they fought, Ronderu bared her two Lig swords and leapt at the Belugan Jedi, knocking away his weapon and swiftly cutting his throat. The Tusken Jedi then fell shortly after, with the Izvoshra overwhelming him and stabbing him through the chest. The Izvoshra were already effective by themselves. And with Ronderu leading them, they were nearly unstoppable.

Meanwhile, Qymaen and Nollus were assisting the other Kaleesh battalions. While some of the soldiers had begun retreating, most of them continued to fight despite the odds against them. Many of them were attempting to group up and separate the Jedi from each other, though the Jedi would then spread them back out with the Force. Fortunately, the roggwarts had started to encircle the Jedi, blocking their paths and distracting them long enough for the soldiers to reconvene.

As the Jedi turned their attention to the roggwarts, Qymaen shouted to the hundreds of Kaleesh gathered around him and Nollus.

"All soldiers! Fire on the Jedi!"

In that moment, the soldiers' spirits were quickly rekindled, and all of them drew their most powerful blasters to fire upon their enemy.

The ensuing storm of slugs and blaster bolts took the Jedi by surprise. While most of them managed to react in time, a few of them were too late and became engulfed in blaster fire.

While the remaining Jedi continued to deflect the oncoming projectiles, the Huk Jedi leapt out of the line of fire and reached his hands out toward the three roggwarts. After a few seconds, the roggwarts began to break their formation around the Jedi, their faces showing signs of confusion and disorientation.

As the soldiers continued to fire on the rest of the Jedi, Qymaen and Nollus bared their Lig swords and charged at the Huk.

The Huk quickly took notice of the two Kaleesh and prepared himself for combat, resuming his previous stance and waiting for them to attack.

Qymaen and Nollus swung their weapons rapidly, but the Huk's thin, nimble body allowed him to dodge their attacks with unnatural precision. Keeping his free left hand behind his back, he swung his orange blade in an upwards arc, cutting through Nollus' Lig sword and destroying it instantly. Before Nollus could pull out another weapon, the Huk held out his left hand and used the Force to push him into the storm of blaster fire.

As Nollus caught himself just in time, Qymaen put his own Lig sword away and lunged at the Huk with his bare hands. However, the Huk was too fast for Qymaen, dodging his attack and grabbing him by his arm. The Huk then effortlessly tossed him aside as he turned his attention back to Nollus.

While Qymaen returned to his feet, he heard Ronderu call to him over the flurry of noise.

"Qymaen!"

He looked over and saw her and the Izvoshra fighting a group of Jedi just a few meters away. During the struggle, Ronderu reached into her pocket and pulled out a lightsaber that she'd taken from one of the slain Jedi.

"Qymaen! Catch!"

She then threw the lightsaber over to Qymaen, who caught it in his right hand. Its hilt was heavy and metallic; nothing like what he was used to wielding. Quickly finding the trigger mechanism, he pointed the weapon away from himself and activated it, its green, glowing blade springing out instantly. As Qymaen studied the glistening beam of light, he suddenly heard his father cry out in pain.

He looked over and saw Nollus knelt down on the ground, holding his left arm as the Huk Jedi reared up his own lightsaber to deliver the final blow. Charging at the Huk, Qymaen held onto the green lightsaber and thrust it forward, stopping the Jedi's blade before it could strike Nollus down.

Not a second passed before Qymaen began swinging his lightsaber wildly, letting loose a ferocious cry as he forced the Huk away from his wounded father. For a moment, the Huk seemed visibly surprised by Qymaen's reaction time. Though he quickly regained his smug confidence and engaged the Kaleesh in battle.

As their blades violently clashed with one another, Nollus stood back up and pulled another Lig sword from his belt. He then ran at the Huk and attacked him from behind, forcing him to block and dodge from two different angles.

The Huk jumped, ducked and twisted his body to keep up with both Kaleesh, using the Force to predict as many of their attacks as he could. However, after minutes of pushing himself to mental and physical exhaustion, he was finally struck in the back by Nollus's sword.

The Huk gave a pained scream as he fell to the ground in front of Qymaen. Once he'd fallen, Qymaen took his orange lightsaber and held both it and the green saber at his sides. As the battle continued around them, Qymaen gave the Huk a simple order.

"Call them off."

The Huk was silent.

So Qymaen gave it again.

"I said _call them off!_ "

Just then, the Huk began laughing to himself.

Nollus kept his sword ready just in case.

"You ingrates think you're _better_ than us? Better than _me_?"

The Huk continued to laugh as he spoke.

Qymaen tightened his grip on the lightsabers.

"We Jedi are the ultimate power in the universe."

The orange lightsaber began to tremble in his hand.

"We cannot be defeated nor destroyed."

He felt the muscles in his arm being strained.

"We are invincible."

His arm began to lift itself.

"We are infallible."

Higher.

"We are ethereal."

Higher _._

 _"_ We are _immortal_."

It stopped.

His arm was now fully outreached, pointing the orange lightsaber at the Huk's face. Qymaen struggled to break free from the Huk's control while Nollus looked on in horror.

The Huk smiled as he calmly gazed at the orange blade.

"And _I…_ "

He stood back up.

"…am your _God_."

He then stood to the side and waved his hand. In an instant, Qymaen's body flew forward, and the outstretched blade stabbed Nollus through the chest.

Qymaen screamed as his father collapsed before him, smoke pouring from the burning hole near his heart. He held Nollus in his arms, begging for him to wake up. But he wouldn't respond.

The Huk reached out with the Force and called the two lightsabers to his hands, deactivating them and placing them both in his belt.

Donning his Jedi robe, he approached Qymaen and spoke to him softly.

"Retreat now…or they _all_ die."

Qymaen looked up from his father's body, tears stinging his eyes, and saw the rest of his army being cornered by the remaining Jedi.

Closing his eyes and tightening his fists, he shouted to them all once more.

 _"_ _Retreat!"_

Almost immediately, the Kaleesh began falling back to the stolen warship with as many slain and wounded soldiers as they could carry. As they did, the Jedi ceased fighting and stood in place with their lightsabers bared. Ronderu saw Qymaen kneeling beside Nollus and ran over to him.

"Qymaen! What happened?!"

Qymaen tried to compose himself as he looked up at Ronderu.

"We need to go! _Now!_ "

Obeying the order, Ronderu put away her weapons and led the Izvoshra back to the ship. Qymaen followed them while carrying his father in his arms.

Once they reached the ship, Ronderu whistled at the three roggwarts and signaled toward the hangar door. As they reentered the ship with the surviving soldiers, Qymaen ordered the pilots to leave the city and return to Kalee.

He then placed his father on the floor and tried desperately to revive him.

But it was too late.

Nollus jai Sheelal was dead.

As tears poured down his face, Qymaen looked through the hangar door and saw the Jedi, still guarding the fortress that had been Kalee's last hope for freedom.

Standing together in unison like stiff, emotionless statues.

And in the middle of them all…was the Huk. Smiling with satisfaction at his defeated enemies, orange lightsaber in hand.

As the hangar door closed, Ronderu knelt down next to Qymaen and put her hand on his shoulder.

"…I'm sorry, Qymaen."

Qymaen closed his eyes and heard the pained moans and cries from the dozens of wounded soldiers around him.

The Huk War hadn't ended.

At this point, Qymaen didn't know if it would _ever_ end.

But now, there was _one_ thing that he was absolutely certain of.

The Jedi were a menace.

And he would make them pay.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Kalee - Present

"Everyone brace yourselves!"

Ronderu, Grievous and the rest of the Izvoshra were gathered at the back of the security room. They had closed the blast door and were preparing for Troc and his guards to reach them.

The Izvoshra had dealt with Troc before, and they knew they wouldn't stand a chance attacking him upfront. So instead, they had decided to wait and hide until he came to them.

As they waited, Grievous spoke with Ronderu and Tillodei in a hushed tone.

"This Pru Troc…how powerful is he?"

"More powerful than anyone we've faced before."

"We can _never_ get the upper hand on him. He always seems to predict our moves before we make them. He's _unstoppable_."

Grievous kept his hands by his lightsabers.

"We shall see…"

The entire room was silent for the next few minutes. The Izvoshra stood together in a circle, watching every corner of the room while listening for any noises out in the hall. As Grievous stood with them, he continued to gaze upon the remains of the soldiers he'd just slain. He knew that if he lost control now, he could end up killing the Izvoshra as well. He couldn't lose himself like that again. He needed stay in control.

He needed to stay focused.

Suddenly, they all heard a door opening just down the hall. Everyone tensed up as the sounds of footsteps began to echo outside.

The footsteps became louder and louder as they slowly neared the blast door. Ronderu tried to keep her warriors calm.

"Steady…"

The footsteps were right outside the door now.

 _"Steady…"_

But then, they stopped.

And once again, there was silence.

Time seemed to stand still as the Izvoshra waited with anticipation. Minutes passed with only the rain outside creating any kind of noise.

Then all of a sudden, the blast door flew open. And dozens of Wild Pack guards piled into the security room.

The Izvoshra immediately sprang into action, firing at the guards with their blasters and striking them down with their Lig swords. Grievous took a lightsaber in each hand and activated their blades, leaping straight at the Wild Pack guards and cutting two of them in half. As he fought, he made sure to keep as much distance between him and the Izvoshra as possible. He also restrained himself from using his extra set of arms, forcing him to dodge as many attacks as possible.

The Izvoshra may have been outnumbered, but the guards were vastly outmatched. Though the Kaleesh fought separately, they kept track of their positions in the room and assisted each other whenever they could. When one warrior was caught off guard, another would leap in to give them cover. When one was surrounded, two more would jump in to spread out the guards cornering them. Even when they weren't fighting as a group, the Izvoshra remained constantly connected and aware of one another.

Eventually, all of the guards were killed, leaving the floor littered with their marred corpses. While the Izvoshra took a minute to recuperate from the battle, Ronderu suddenly realized something.

"Wait. Where's Troc?"

Then, they heard another set of footprints just outside the security room. Not a second later, a tall Huk dressed in a brown, hooded cloak stepped in front of the entrance and stood before the Izvoshra. The Huk lifted the hood from his head and gazed upon the wide-eyed Kaleesh. A confident smirk graced his face as he discarded his cloak and leapt at his opponents.

Without hesitating, the Izvoshra quickly resumed their defensive positions, regrouping with their backs to one another and attacking Pru Troc from different angles. But this time, it wouldn't be enough. Latching onto the ceiling, Troc dropped down into the middle of the group and used all four of his limbs to knock the Izvoshra back. Once they were separated, he then warded them all off with a series of quick strikes from his arms and legs. He seemed to predict each of their movements and anticipate them mere seconds in advance, his bulbous eyes rapidly moving side to side as he kept up with all eight of the Kaleesh warriors.

Suddenly, while he was concentrating, Troc heard a familiar humming sound coming from behind him. He quickly turned around to see Grievous charging at him with two lightsabers bared. In response, Troc reached into his belt and pulled out his own lightsaber, activating its orange blade and using it to block Grievous's attack.

He instantly recognized him.

"Well! If it isn't the droid General himself! I'm surprised Dooku let you come all the way out here by yourself!"

As their lightsabers clashed, Grievous took note of Troc's orange blade. Then, after hearing his voice, his eyes went wide with shock.

 _No…_

Troc began to smile once more. And at that point, Grievous knew.

 _"You!"_

In an instant, his second set of arms came out and grabbed onto Troc's legs. Grievous then used all of his strength to lift Troc into the air and hurl him at one of the nearby windows. The window shattered as Troc struck the glass. And as he tried to get up, Grievous leapt at him again, forcing both of them through the broken window pane and onto the field outside.

The two of them struggled on the muddy ground as rain continued to pour. Troc then reached out with the Force and pushed Grievous off of him, allowing him to return to his feet. Grievous stood back up as well and took out two more lightsabers for his two extra arms.

The Izvoshra attempted to join Grievous outside, but they were quickly intercepted by another group of Wild Pack guards filing into the room with them.

Grievous and Troc glared at one another in the raging storm, their lightsaber blades smoking and sizzling with each raindrop that hit them. Grievous shouted as he activated his two other blades.

"You're going to _pay_ for what you did!"

"…And what did I _do_ exactly?"

 _"You killed my father!"_

"I've killed a _lot_ of fathers. Could you be more specific?"

Grievous roared as he lunged at Troc, his four lightsabers spinning viscously in the pouring rain. Troc quickly defended himself with a series of sharp blocks and parries. But soon, Grievous's constant attacks began to overwhelm him. Eventually, Grievous had Troc cornered against a wall, his cyborg body shaking with every ragged breath he took. As Troc gazed into the General's bloodshot eyes, it suddenly hit him.

"Ah! _Now_ I remember! You're that Kaleesh general who tried to oppose me!"

"You killed my _father_! My _soldiers_! We were so close to freedom and you _took_ it from us!"

"I was only keeping the peace! As _all_ Jedi must!"

" _Peace_?! The Huk invaded our world for _centuries_! And you chose _them_ over _us_?!"

"Well, for the sake of the Republic…"

" _Silence!_ You only help those who you can _benefit_ from! You call yourselves peacekeepers, yet you allow us to suffer and die! The Jedi are a _plague_! And I will not rest until their entire order is burned to the ground and forgotten by the galaxy!"

Troc was silent for a moment, and then he chuckled.

"By the time we bring peace to the galaxy, you will be nothing more than a footnote."

Grievous roared again as he reared his lightsabers above his head. But before he could attack, Troc unleashed a bolt of lightning from his hand.

The lightning knocked Grievous off of Troc and onto his back. He screamed in agony as the electric current shocked his vital organs and overheated his metal body. Troc got back to his feet and continued shocking Grievous with bolt after bolt. The pain was so excruciating that Grievous could feel himself slipping out of consciousness as his body convulsed in the mud. He could hear Ronderu calling to him from the security room window as the rain and puddles beneath him exacerbated the effects of the lightning. Then, after minutes of relentless torture, Grievous finally passed out.

As Troc looked upon the General's burnt body, he received a call from the guards inside the prison.

"Boss! We've got the Izvoshra."

"Good. Put them in cells on the highest level. And send a couple of guards out here to collect the good general. I've got a _special_ cell just for him."

"Yes, sir."

Suddenly, Troc received another call from the guards on the Floating Gun.

"Yes?"

"Boss! The prisoner's escaped!"

"What?!"

"She killed a couple guards and stole an escape pod!"

"Where is she _now_?"

"The pod's tracking beacon says she landed in a forest just a few miles from the prison! You want us to go after her?"

"…No. Stay where you are. I know someone who can take care of this."

"Yes, sir."

After hanging up, Troc made one final call to a Wild Pack base nearby.

"Silvya. Are you there?"

"Same as always, boss."

"I need you to track down an escaped prisoner. I'm sending her coordinates to you now. Bring her back to me _alive_."

"Whatever floats your boat."

Once Silvya hung up, Troc turned back to Grievous and watched as the falling raindrops burned against his heated metal plating.

 _You can fight me all you like, General. But no matter what you do, the Jedi will_ always _prevail._


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Kalee - Present

 _Just my luck…_

Ventress sighed upon finding her fanblade starfighter.

The ship had been torn apart by local predators. Its front window was completely shattered and its controls had been reduced to bits of broken plastoid. Even its enfolded solar sail had been utterly ripped to shreds.

After crash-landing in one of Kalee's forests, Ventress had spent hours wandering through the trees, hoping to locate her starfighter and use it to track down Grievous. But now that the ship was unusable, she would have no choice but to search for him on foot.

Closing her eyes and clearing her mind, Ventress reached out and tried sensing Grievous through the Force. While she couldn't sense him, she did sense another familiar presence nearby.

This presence was extremely powerful in the Force. And while they appeared to be of the light side, they also possessed a strong tinge of the dark side. Reaching out even further, Ventress was able to get a quick glimpse of this being.

Tall.

Thin.

Green.

Smiling.

Attacking someone with…Force lightning.

 _Troc._

It had to be him.

Ventress could sense that he was just a few miles away.

Abandoning her ship, she began to run in his direction, dodging trees, vines and any other obstacles in her path. She made sure to stay quiet so as to not attract any predators. As she approached a sleeping pack of karabbacs, she leapt into the air and landed on a low-hanging branch. She then began leaping from branch to branch while maintaining her predetermined course.

As she leapt through the trees, she started to wonder if Troc had found Grievous himself and attacked him. If that were the case, then they would hopefully both be weakened by the time she reached them, making it easier for her to slay the Jedi and return Grievous to Dooku.

A few minutes later, Ventress spotted a clearing in the trees less than a mile away. She could sense through the Force that she was reaching the end of the forest.

Then suddenly, she heard a noise.

Breaking her pace, she perched herself on a branch and listened closely.

She could hear a couple of landspeeders heading towards her position.

As their engines grew louder, she leapt onto another branch and hid behind one of the trees.

She heard the speeders slow down and then stop just a few meters away from her.

Ventress peaked around the tree's trunk and looked over to where the speeders had parked.

She could see five Wild Pack mercenaries seated on BARC speeders. The mercenaries wore sets of orange armor similar to the rest of the Wild Pack, though theirs seemed to be slightly more fortified with extra plastoid plating. Four of the mercenaries were male Yinchorri warriors armed with vibroblades and blaster pistols. The fifth was a dark-skinned human woman with long, braided hair and a bright red visor. Unlike the other mercenaries, parts of her armor were spray painted red, as were the blaster rifle and electrostaff that she kept in a harness strapped to her back.

As she dismounted her speeder, she took out a holoprojector and turned to the Yinchorri warriors. She then activated the projector, which displayed an image of Ventress.

"This is our target. Spread out and find her."

The Yinchorri nodded as they dismounted their own speeders and pulled out their weapons.

"And remember. The boss wants her _alive_. So set your blasters to stun and _try_ not to stab her in any vital areas."

The woman then put away the projector and took out her blaster rifle.

"Aside from that…go nuts."


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Rattatak - 18 Years Ago

"That's right. Concentrate."

Asajj focused on her master's words as she reached out with the Force.

Even with her eyes closed, she could see the parts of her lightsaber floating before her.

One after another, she began to connect the pieces.

First the bolts.

Then the wires.

The hilt was almost done.

"Trust the Force. Let it guide you."

One connection.

Then another.

Suddenly, a wire snapped.

Asajj flinched.

"It's okay. Just replace it."

She reached for another wire.

But then a bolt fell out.

And a metal plate came loose.

Asajj tried to put it back.

She was getting agitated.

Then another plate came out.

And another.

Then a bolt came out.

Then a wire broke.

Asajj clenched her teeth.

Her fists tightened.

And then, the hilt fell apart.

"Poodoo!"

Asajj punched the ground as the pieces fell in front of her.

Ky Narec put his hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay to be frustrated. Take a moment to breathe if you need to."

Asajj sighed to herself.

"Why can't I do it?"

"We all learn at our own pace. The important thing is to not let yourself be overwhelmed."

"But _how_?"

"Instead of fixing everything at once, try focusing on one thing at a time. The key is patience. So take your time and don't pressure yourself."

As Narec stepped back, Asajj took a deep breath and closed her eyes once more.

The pieces of her lightsaber began to rise.

She then focused on each piece individually.

First a bolt.

Then a plate.

Then a wire.

When one broke, she replaced it.

When many broke, she started over.

Minutes passed as each piece was put carefully in place.

A snap.

A click.

A twist.

And then finally, the crystal.

Asajj held her breath.

She could see the crystal hanging in the air.

She moved it toward the hilt.

It slipped inside.

It locked in place.

She waited a second to make sure it all stayed together.

It did.

She then gently dropped the weapon into her outreached hand.

She opened her eyes.

She pressed the trigger.

And a green, glowing blade sprung out.

Her lightsaber was complete.

A smile spread across Asajj's face as she waved the beam of light through the air.

Narec smiled as well.

"Well done, Padawan. Now your training can _truly_ begin."

…

Over the next few months, Asajj practiced the many forms of lightsaber combat alongside her master. She would study his movements and do her best to imitate them. She would memorize the various stances, sequences and target zones and run through them over and over again in her head. She would even have mock fights with wooden dummies and use them to practice the marks of contact.

 _Shiak. Stab._

 _Sun djem. Disarm._

 _Cho mai. Remove hand._

 _Cho sun. Remove arm._

 _Sai cha. Decapitate._

Day after day, she would recite these movements until they were practically second nature to her. Her lightsaber became not just a weapon, but a part of her body that would naturally react to any danger around her. To the point that she couldn't even imagine herself without it.

On her final day of training, Asajj mirrored her master flawlessly, repeating all of his movements one after the other.

Slash.

Slash.

Jump.

Block.

Dodge.

It was like clockwork.

Asajj and Narec had become perfect reflections of one another, with neither of them moving a moment earlier nor later than the other.

At the end of the session, Narec put away his lightsaber and patted Asajj on the shoulder. She couldn't keep herself from smiling.

"Thank you, Master."

Narec nodded with approval.

"You've done well, Asajj. You've come a long way since I first found you. Now, I believe you're finally ready to fight alongside me."

Asajj could barely contain her excitement. After years of training, she would at last be able to join her master on his quest to free Rattatak.

Together, they would defeat the planet's warlords once and for all.

And after that, they would hopefully find a way to return to Coruscant, where Asajj would be officially inducted into the Jedi Order.

She imagined herself traveling across the galaxy, liberating worlds and helping those in need alongside her master.

She'd never felt more ready.

 _This is it!_

 _I'm going to be a Jedi!_

 _I'm going to be free!_


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Kalee - Present

"Find her yet?"

"Uh uh."

The human woman sighed on the other end of the comlink.

"Did you check the treetops?"

"Uh huh."

"Twice?"

"Uh…"

"You forgot to, didn't you?"

"Yeah."

"Then go check them again."

"Yes, ma'am."

The Yinchorri hung up his comlink and leapt up into the treetops.

Meanwhile, Ventress was watching quietly from behind a large branch. She could see the four Yinchorri wandering aimlessly through the forest in search of their target. She couldn't help but shake her head at their incompetence.

 _They'd be dead by now if I wasn't so bored…_

For a moment, she considered leaving them in the forest to waste their time while she hunted down Troc. But then she decided that if she was going to destroy the Wild Pack, she might as well be thorough.

 _Let's get this over with…_

Keeping quiet, she leapt up the side of a nearby tree until she reached the top of the forest. She could hear the Yinchorri all around her, brushing against the surrounding leaves while she remained hidden. Grabbing her lightsabers, she quickly located each of the Yinchorri though the Force and began to seek them all out.

She found the first one combing through a patch of reddish shrub.

 _One blaster. Easy._

She then activated her lightsaber and jumped down to his level. Before he could even react, Ventress sliced his blaster in half and choked him with the Force, crushing his windpipe and letting his body collapse on the patch of shrub.

A couple of feet away, she found the second one checking behind the trunk of a tree.

 _Two blasters and a vibroblade._

Concentrating, she carefully plucked both of his blasters from their holsters and pulled them over to her. After destroying them both with a single cut, she then focused on the vibroblade firmly clutched in his hand. The Yinchorri stopped searching for a moment and curiously observed the blade twitching in his grasp. A quick motion from Ventress's finger sent the blade flying out from his hand and into his scalp, killing him instantly.

As the second Yinchorri fell over dead, Ventress suddenly sensed someone watching her.

Without even thinking, she leapt down onto one of the branches below, a blaster bolt just barely missing the back of her head.

Turning around, she immediately saw the human woman just a few meters away, aiming her blaster rifle at her while taking cover behind a tree.

As she took aim at Ventress, the woman suddenly gave a loud whistle, and the remaining two Yinchorri landed right behind Ventress with their vibroblades in hand. The Yinchorri swiped and stabbed at Ventress in quick succession. But they were no match for her speed and flexibility.

After activating her second lightsaber, she grabbed the Yinchorri with the Force and held them in a choke hold. She then swung her blades through each of their necks and watched as their headless bodies fell in front of her.

Sensing another shot from the woman behind her, she leapt up onto another branch overhead. She flinched as a second blaster bolt grazed her left shoulder, leaving a burning wound in her skin.

Ventress continued to dodge each of the woman's shots as she made her way towards her. After another ten shots all within seconds of each other, Ventress finally landed on the tree her attacker had been using for cover. Using the Force to increase her precision, she jumped down from the top of the tree and prepared to strike the woman down with her lightsabers.

However, the woman quickly noticed Ventress and used her electrostaff to counter her attack. She then pushed Ventress off of her and swung at her from multiple angles. She managed to hold her own until Ventress took her electrostaff and threw it over the side, causing it to plummet into the forest below.

However, before Ventress could strike her down, the woman reached out with both hands and pushed her back with the Force.

Ventress hit the trunk of the tree and dropped her lightsabers, which the woman then grabbed and pulled over to her with two grappling lines. As a sharp pain shot through Ventress's back, she looked up at the woman who had taken her off guard.

"…Who are you?"

The woman spoke with a grin on her face.

"Silvya. And _these_ …"

She held up Ventress's lightsabers.

"…are _mine_ now."

She then deactivated the blades and put them in her pocket.

Her pain subsiding, Ventress regained her focus and lunged at Silvya, attacking her with only her hands.

The two fought one another bare-handed for minutes on end. And even without her weapons, Ventress could tell that her opponent was well-versed in lightsaber combat.

"You use the Force…and you fight like the Jedi…but you're _not_ a Jedi, are you?"

Silvya shook her head.

"Nah. Not my style. They're a little too… _detached_ for my taste."

Eventually, Ventress was able to find an opening, kicking Silvya in the gut and pushing her back into the tree. As she hit the tree, Ventress used the Force to grab the surrounding vines and tie her against the trunk. She then pulled her lightsabers out from Silvya's pocket and returned them to their holsters. Silvya didn't even try to break free from the vines as she spoke to Ventress.

"So that's it? You're just gonna _leave_ me here?"

Ventress stared at Silvya with curiosity.

"…That was a pun, by the way. _Leave._ Y'know, 'cause we're in a…never mind. It sounded funnier in my head."

"What are you doing here?"

"Uh…hunting you?"

"I mean with the Wild Pack."

"Just doing whatever pays the bills."

"You're almost as powerful as _me_. Why are you wasting your time with _them_?"

"Why are you wasting _your_ time with the _Separatists_?"

Ventress took a moment to answer.

"So I can become more powerful."

"And _then_ what?"

"Destroy the Jedi."

Silvya snickered.

"I wouldn't bother if I were you. I already wasted a good chunk of my life with those tools. My sister and I joined them when we were little. They seemed pretty cool at first. Until they told us we weren't allowed to form attachments. So my sister started distancing herself from me. And after a while, she didn't even treat me like _family_ anymore. I spent _years_ arguing with the Jedi, trying to get them to change their rules and regulations. But eventually, I realized that there was no _point_ in trying to change them. So one day, I just… _left_. And my sister didn't even say goodbye."

Ventress was silent.

"So just take my advice, okay? Don't try changing things that are out of your control. I gave up on that idea and I'm a _lot_ better off now. Hopping from planet to planet, getting paid, hunting down scum…no offense. I may not like the Wild Pack all that much, but they're my best source of income. So why bother changing anything when I can just go with the flow, you know?"

Ventress thought for a minute, and then gave her response.

"You're wrong."

"Huh?"

" _Nothing_ is out of our control. I used to be a slave. A cog in a machine. But then I broke free and forged my _own_ destiny. There's more to life than just serving a system. And the only thing limiting your options is _you_."

Silvya's smirk faded.

"Then why are _you_ just a _servant_?"

There was a brief silence. Then Ventress turned away from Silvya and prepared to jump.

"Just stay out of my way."

As she leapt off into the forest, Silvya reached into her pocket and pulled out a knife to cut through the vines.

 _Troc had better triple my pay for this..._


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Kalee - Present

"Rise and shine, General."

Grievous' eyes slowly opened. His vision was blurry for a second, then it slowly cleared to reveal Troc standing before him. As he observed his surroundings, he realized that he was inside of a prison cell and being held against a wall by chains attached to his arms and legs.

He began pulling on the chains in an attempt to escape, but to no avail.

"Those chains are made with cortosis, General. You wouldn't be able to break them even if you still had your _lightsabers_."

Grievous then looked down at his belt and realized that all of his weapons, including his Lig sword were gone. His anger returning, he struggled against his restraints as he yelled at Troc.

"Where are the Izvoshra?!"

"You mean your friends? They've been taken to the prison's highest level. _You_ , however have been taken to one of its _lowest_."

"Why?!"

Troc's eyes narrowed with pleasure.

"Because it's the only level that still supports torture devices."

He then looked up at one of the cell's windows and gave a quick nod. All of a sudden, the chains became electrified, and Grievous screamed as his body was shocked once again.

"Most of these devices were removed during the war. Though fortunately, a few still remained. As much as I'd love to torture you myself, summoning lightning does get a tad exhausting after a while. So hopefully this will suffice for now."

Once the electricity subsided, Grievous spoke through pained rasps of breath.

"…I'll…kill you…for what you've done…to Kalee…"

Troc shook his head in disappointment.

"It's truly a pity that you can't appreciate all of my hard work. The Wild Pack and I have brought _peace_ and _security_ to your world."

Grievous pulled on his chains even harder than before.

"We _had_ peace! We _had_ security! We had an _army_ and a _government_! And you _destroyed_ it all!"

"I haven't destroyed anything. I've only made _improvements_."

"Improvements?!"

Grievous struggled until Troc nodded again. Another shock from the chains. But this time, Grievous didn't back down.

"…You've…improved _nothing_ …You've helped… _no one_ …All you've done…is made our lives _worse_! That's all you Jedi _ever_ do! You ruin worlds and pretend to save them just so you can feel better about yourselves!"

Another shock.

Then another.

And another.

Until Grievous began to pass out once more.

As his eyes blinked shut and his body went limp, Troc leaned forward and whispered into his audio receptor.

"For the record General, I don't _need_ to feel better. And do you know _why_?"

His eyes closed.

"Because I _am_ better."


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Kalee - 12 Years Ago

 _Nollus jai Sheelal._

 _Warrior._

 _Father._

 _Hero._

Qymaen read those words over and over again as he stood at his father's grave. Two years had passed since the Battle of Huk. And in that time, the situation on Kalee had only gotten worse.

Not only were their enemies amplifying their attacks, but the Republic had begun imposing taxes and embargoes on the Kaleesh in response to their invasion of Huk. This had led to even more widespread poverty and starvation on Kalee, which in turn had shrunken the planet's once massive armies. And despite his many victories over the past two years, Qymaen couldn't help but feel that everything he'd done up to that point had been for nothing.

He'd killed thousands of Huk and saved countless Kaleesh. But at the end of the day, his world was still at war. His people were still suffering. And his father was still dead.

As he looked upon Nollus's grave, Qymaen heard someone walking up behind him.

"Qymaen?"

It was Ronderu.

"It's almost midnight. When are you going to bed?"

Qymaen spoke somberly.

"…What's the point?"

"The _point_ is that you need to get some _sleep_."

"Why? So I can get up and fight _another_ battle that won't mean anything?"

"Qymaen…"

"Stop calling me that!"

Ronderu backed away.

Qymaen stopped himself and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry. I just…"

He sighed and lowered his head.

"…Do you know what _Qymaen jai Sheelal_ means?"

"What?"

"It means _Son_ _of the Dreamer_. My surname comes from the story of the Dreamer. Have you heard it?"

"No."

"The Dreamer was a great warrior who spent his entire life fighting for his people. And he had an incredible gift. Every time someone he cared about was close to death, he would dream of them. And the next day, they would be healed. One day, he came across a child and took him as both an apprentice and a son. He raised the child and taught him how to fight and dream like he did. So whenever they were both injured during a battle, they would dream of one another and keep each other alive."

His gaze returned to his father's grave.

"When I was born, I was really sick. My parents thought I was going to die. But that night, my dad went to sleep and dreamed of me. And the next day, I was completely healthy. I knew it was just a story, but…once I got older and my dad told me what happened…I couldn't help but think that he saved my life."

His right hand tightened into a fist.

"So when he died…I went to sleep that night and dreamed of him. But the next day…he was still dead."

His hand loosened.

"And now I'll never see him again."

"…I'm sorry, Qymae…"

Ronderu stopped herself.

"…It's okay, Ronderu. I don't mind if you call me that. But…I don't think I deserve to be called _Son of the Dreamer_ anymore. I don't even know if I deserve the Sheelal family name. So from now on, I'm going to call myself by a different name."

"What name?"

Qymaen had thought about this for a long time. He wanted a name that would not only fit him, but also make his enemies remember him. A name that would encapsulate who he was and let both the Huk and the Jedi know exactly what awaited them when they met him in battle.

As he stood there at his father's grave in the dead of night, Qymaen jai Sheelal spoke his new name.

"Grievous."


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Kalee - Present

"Have you cut through yet?"

"Working on it…"

Ronderu and Tillodei had both been locked in a cell on the Bug Trap's highest level. Fortunately though, Tillodei had managed to pull a small cortosis pick from her belt and was using it to cut through the chains attached to her wrists.

"You gonna pass that over here when you're done?"

"Oh no. I was just gonna leave you here to rot."

"Love you too."

She cut through the first chain.

Now there was just the second.

"Once we get out of here, we'll free the others and then go after Qymaen."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know if Qymaen's gonna be in the best mood once we find him."

"Well we can't just _leave_ him here."

"That's not what I'm saying."

"Then what _are_ you saying?"

"I just…"

Tillodei sighed.

"…I'm just worried about you."

"About _me_?"

"You _saw_ what Qymaen did to those prisoners. They were _his_ soldiers. And he _slaughtered_ them all."

"We don't know what happened back there. He said he lost control."

"And what if he loses control _again_? Around _us_? Around _you_?"

"That would never happen."

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do. I _know_ Qymaen. "

"You knew him _before._ But he's changed. He's not who he used to be."

"He's still my _friend_."

"Would your _friend_ have killed his own soldiers? Would your _friend_ have abandoned you so he could kill Jedi?"

"He said he was sorry!"

"And that was _enough_ for you?!"

Ronderu opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. Instead, she lowered her head and turned away in frustration. There was a moment of silence before Tillodei spoke again.

"Ru…I know you missed him. And I know you care about him. But he just isn't the person you knew before. I've heard stories about what he's done to the Jedi. He's _dangerous_. And I'm afraid he's going to hurt you."

"But what if I can _help_ him?"

"That's not your job. You're not responsible for his problems. Whatever his issues are, he has to figure them out on his own. And he's not worth you getting yourself _killed_ over."

Ronderu thought to herself for a moment.

"…We still need to free him."

"And we _will_. But once we get out of here…I think we should let him go."

Tillodei cut through the second chain.

She then handed the pick over to Ronderu, who began to cut through her own chains.

"…We just got him back, Till. I don't want to lose him again."

"I _know_ you don't. But _I_ don't want to put any of our people at risk. _Especially_ not you."

"Even if he _did_ attack us, we could defend ourselves."

"Against _him_? Ru, within the first few months of the Clone Wars, he killed over _fifty_ Jedi Knights _and_ Padawans. Some of which were just _children_. And he didn't just kill them. He took their weapons and braids as _trophies_."

"He couldn't have…"

"I _saw_ the HoloNet reports. I _read_ the civilian accounts. He's a _monster_ , Ru."

"He's _not_ a monster!"

The first chain broke.

There was another brief silence as Ronderu calmed down.

"…I'm sorry."

"You can't keep living in the past, Ru. Qymaen has _changed_. And if you keep expecting him to be the same as he was, you'll just end up being disappointed."

"…I know. I just thought…maybe things could be like how they were _before_ he left."

"Things will _never_ be like how they were, Ru. The Qymaen you knew is gone. And you need to move on."

The second chain broke.

Ronderu then got up from the floor along with Tillodei.

"…Maybe you're right, Till."

Tillodei put her hand on Ronderu's shoulder.

"I just don't want you to get hurt, Ru. If Qymaen freaks out again…do you promise me you'll let him go?"

Ronderu hesitated for a moment, and then she nodded.

"…Alright. I promise."

"Good. Now let's find a way out of here."


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Kalee - Present

Ventress could see a large prison up ahead. She'd stolen one of the Yinchorri's speeders and was now heading towards Troc; and hopefully Grievous.

Though she was also beginning to have doubts about her mission, as well as her training.

 _I'm not a servant. I'm only following Dooku so I can learn the ways of the dark side. So I can become powerful enough to destroy the Jedi myself. But when will that time come? At what point will I feel that I've learned enough from him? And is it really worth all this suffering and menial labor? When will my training end? When will I leave?_

As she approached the prison, she noticed another massive structure lying behind it. It was the dungeon ship she'd just escaped from.

 _He's here._

Suddenly, a blaster bolt flew by her shoulder. She turned her head and saw Silvya following close behind on her own speeder.

Ventress reached out with the Force and tried to push Silvya off her speeder. But Silvya quickly fired another blast that grazed Ventress's stomach. As she grabbed her stomach in pain, Silvya fired one more blast which struck the back of Ventress's speeder and damaged its engine. The engine sputtered for a moment and then quickly gave out, causing the speeder to tumble on its side and throw Ventress onto the ground.

As the speeder crashed, Ventress quickly got to her feet and activated her lightsabers. Silvya then parked her own speeder and leapt off of it to meet Ventress face to face.

"I _would_ say I didn't wanna do this…"

She then took out her electrostaff.

"…but that'd be a lie."

While she faced Silvya, Ventress heard a few more speeders approaching from behind. She turned around and saw five Wild Pack guards parking just a few meters away from her. Each guard was of a different species; Lasat, Parwan, Lepi, Togorian and Palliduvan. And each of them was heavily armed.

Ventress turned back to Silvya and spoke with a grave seriousness in her voice.

"Call them off. Now."

"Or _what_?"

She bared her lightsabers for combat.

"Or I kill every last one of you."

Silvya smirked as she turned on her electrostaff.

"Sounds like fun."


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Rattatak - 18 Years Ago

"Asajj! On your left!"

"Yes, Master!"

Asajj and Ky Narec had gone to a local town to end a turf war between the Wild Pack and the Vulkars. Both gangs were fighting for control of the town, with dozens of raiders and gunners firing at one another from behind cover. As the locals ran through the streets in a panic, Asajj and her master eliminated as many of the attackers as they could.

Ky Narec defended the marketplace from a group of raiding Vulkars, while Asajj dealt with a few Wild Pack gunners on the roof of a building. The gunners fought viciously with both their blasters and vibroblades. But Asajj quickly disarmed them with her lightsaber and cut them all down with ease. As she stopped to catch her breath, another group of gunners began to fire at her from below. Her frustration growing, she leapt down from the building and quickly killed each of them without even thinking. Not a moment passed before yet another group of gunners fired at her from behind. One of the blasts grazed her stomach, causing her to cry out in pain. In a rage, she charged at the gunners head on and slaughtered them all while shouting at them in anger. Upon reaching the last gunner, she pulled him over to her with the Force and used her lightsabers to cut through his midsection. She then watched as he writhed on the ground in agony for a few seconds before she finally ended his life.

As her heart raced in her chest, she heard her master call over to her.

"Asajj! Control yourself!"

"He deserved it! They _all_ deserve it!"

"We do not torture our enemies!"

Just then, Asajj felt something through the Force. Instinctively, she leapt out of the way right before a blaster bolt could strike her in the back.

Turning in the direction of the blast, she noticed a Weequay sniper aiming at her from the top of another building. She bared her lightsaber and began deflecting the sniper's blasts. And as she did, she began to get a familiar feeling. A feeling she'd had years ago during her time with the Wild Pack.

Her mind was suddenly filled with memories of her old master, Hal'Sted. Of the day he'd died. Of the last time he'd spoken with her. Of the sniper he'd gone to take care of.

And then, she looked back up at the sniper firing at her now.

 _No…_

 _It can't be…_

As she studied the sniper on top of that building, she realized what the Force was telling her.

This was the same sniper who'd killed Hal'Sted all those years ago.

In a blind rage, Asajj charged at the building the sniper was perched on. She didn't even bother to deflect his blasts as she ran toward him.

Her master called out to her.

"Asajj! _Wait_!"

But as he did, one of the sniper's blasts struck Asajj in the leg.

Asajj gave a pained scream as she fell to the ground, holding the burning wound by her knee.

Ky Narec ran over to Asajj and put both of their lightsabers in his pocket. He then picked her up in his arms and began to carry her away. Once the coast was clear, they both left the town and headed back to the campsite.

…

"…I'm sorry, Master."

"It's okay, Asajj."

Ky Narec tried to comfort his apprentice as he wrapped a few bandages around her leg.

"Anger is a natural emotion. What matters is how we deal with it."

"But I lost control. I ruined the mission."

"We _all_ make mistakes, my young Padawan. And it's better that we _learn_ from them rather than _dwell_ on them."

Ky Narec finished tying the last of the bandages. Despite being properly treated, the wound still stung tremendously. Asajj was worried how long it would take to fully heal.

As she flinched from the pain in her leg, she asked her master for guidance.

"Master?"

"Yes?"

"Back there…when I killed that gunner…when I made him hurt…it felt… _good_. Is that wrong?"

After thinking to himself for a moment, Ky Narec knelt down next to Asajj and gave his answer.

"It's natural for us to want to _hurt_ those who are hurting _us_. But taking pleasure from pain is not the Jedi way."

"That's the _dark side_ , right?"

"Yes."

"So does that mean _I'm_ of the dark side?"

"Not at all. It only means that you were _tempted_ by it. And that happens to _everyone_. Even the most _loyal_ Jedi were tempted by the dark side at _some_ point in their lives. The _important_ thing is to not let those temptations _define_ you. No path is without its bumps or turns. And the best way to deal with them when they come is to simply push through them and keep going."

Asajj tried to ignore the pain as she readjusted her leg.

"The dark side can seem helpful at first. The way it rewards you for giving in to your negative emotions. The way it coddles and comforts you with promises of power and independence. But ultimately, those promises are never fulfilled. And in the end, you're left with only yourself and all of the pain you've caused."

"So…is it okay for me to be angry?"

"Of _course_ it is. Just don't let that anger control you or cloud your judgement. Anger can be an effective tool when utilized correctly. But if you let it loose, it will only _hurt_ you, as well as those _close_ to you. Your anger may give you power for a _time_ , but it _will_ run out eventually."

Ky Narec put his hand on Asajj's shoulder.

"Just remember what I've taught you, Asajj. As long as you are mindful of your actions, you will _never_ fall to the dark side."

Asajj smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, Master."


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Kalee - Present

Ventress didn't hold back.

As soon as the Wild Pack guards attacked her, she allowed her anger to guide her actions.

The Togorian attacked first. He bared his claws and leapt at Ventress from behind. But Ventress reacted quickly, turning around and swinging her lightsabers upwards. The blades cut through the Togorian's arms, causing him to fall on his knees while roaring in pain. He didn't even live for another minute before Ventress swung her blades back down and severed his head.

Next up were the Parwan and Lepi. The Lepi attacked from the front with a series of high kicks, while the Parwan floated upward and used his rifle to fire from above. But Ventress immediately grabbed the Lepi with the Force and threw him up at the Parwan. As the two of them collided in the air, Ventress threw both of her lightsabers at them and used the Force to guide them like boomerangs. The spinning blades cut through the guards's necks and returned to Ventress's hands as their bodies dropped to the ground.

Then there was the Lasat and Palliduvan. The Lasat charged at Ventress with his bo-rifle as the Palliduvan attacked from behind with two vibroblades. Ventress easily cut through the blades and stabbed the Palliduvan through the chest, killing him. But the Lasat was more difficult to deal with, since his armor could take more damage and his weapon could block Ventress's lightsabers. As Ventress tried to ward off the Lasat's attacks, she felt a sudden jolt in her back. She then realized that she'd forgotten about Silvya, who had just entered the fight with her electrostaff.

Ventress could just barely keep up with her opponents. They were both extremely formidable and continuously attacked from different positions during the fight. As Ventress swung her blades and contorted her body in every possible way, she tried to stay connected with her anger. But the more rage she poured into her attacks, the more exhausted she felt afterwards. And as the fight went on, she began to feel as though she could pass out at any moment.

Then suddenly, she felt another jolt in her back.

And then one in her leg.

And then, she fell over.

As she hit the ground, she attempted one last Force push to get her opponents off of her. But by that point, she was too tired to summon any more rage from within. She gave an annoyed grunt as Silvya bound her arms in stun cuffs. The Lasat then grabbed Ventress and pulled her back up on her feet.

While Silvya escorted her back to her speeder, Ventress gave one final taunt.

"At least _now_ I'll be able to kill your boss in _person_ …"

Silvya stuck her rifle in Ventress's back.

"You are _so_ lucky he wants you alive."


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Kalee - Present

"Guards!"

Two masked Kyuzo guards looked over towards Ronderu and Tillodei's prison cell.

"My girlfriend is bleeding! She needs help!"

The guards looked at each other briefly and then walked up to the cell door. They opened the door with one of their keys and closed it behind them as they stepped inside.

A few seconds passed before violent sounds began to emanate from inside the cell.

Once the sounds passed, the door opened back up, and Ronderu and Tillodei stepped out while donning the guards' uniforms. The heavy armor, pressurized masks and large, circular hats completely concealed their appearances, making it easy for them to blend in with the other guards.

Ronderu turned to Tillodei.

"You sure this is gonna work?"

Tillodei shrugged.

"No idea."

…

"What's the status of the prisoners?"

Troc was speaking with the warden of the Bug Trap via hologram. The warden in question was a repurposed tactical droid taken from the Separatist droid army.

"The prisoners are where they should be, sir."

"And is every sector being guarded?"

"Yes. Especially the ones without surveillance. The security here still leaves a bit to be desired."

"I'm updating the security as much as I can. But our resources are being stretched thin. So for now, I need you to make do with what you have."

"I will do so to the best of my ability, sir."

"Good. I have to go now. Remember to contact me if anything goes wrong."

"Roger roger."

As Troc hung up, the tactical droid returned its gaze to the row of security monitors above its desk. Everything appeared to be in order, except for two Kyuzo guards who seemed to have abandoned their posts.

Just then, the droid heard a knock on the glass door behind it. It turned around to find those very same guards standing outside its office. The droid walked over to the door and opened it for the guards.

"Yes? What is it?"

Suddenly, the guards raised their bowcasters and ordered the droid to back away. The droid quickly complied, allowing the guards to enter its office.

Tillodei kept her weapon trained on the droid as she gave it instructions.

"Unlock all of the Izvoshra's cells."

The droid walked over to the controls and deactivated the locks on the specified cells.

"Now unlock weapons storage."

The droid did so, deactivating all security around the prison's armory.

"Now get on your knees and don't move."

As the droid knelt down on the floor, Tillodei nodded to Ronderu, signaling her to go retrieve their weapons. Ronderu left the office while Tillodei stayed with the droid.

…

Still in disguise, Ronderu located the armory and entered it through an unlocked door. Inside were rows of crates and lockers containing confiscated weaponry. She quickly got to work, using her cortosis pick to cut through each of the locks. Less than half an hour later, she'd managed to locate and recollect all of the Izvoshra's weapons.

Now she just needed to find Qymaen's weapons.

After looking through the back room, she eventually came across a slightly larger locker with three locks on it. She quickly cut through the locks and opened the locker to find Qymaen's lightsabers stored inside.

As she gathered the lightsabers in her backpack, she noticed that some of them had names and symbols sketched onto their staffs. A few of which appeared to be drawn by children.

Ronderu felt herself getting sick.

 _He couldn't have…There's no way…_

"Hey! Who's in there?!"

Just then, Ronderu heard a couple of guards heading toward the armory. As they approached the entrance, she took out her Lig swords and prepared to defend herself.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Wild Space - 10 Years Ago

Qymaen was a new man.

Over the past two years, the name Grievous had spread throughout Kalee. His tactics in battle had become more brutal, and he had grown more and more distant from his allies. His warmth and compassion had all but faded, only to be replaced by an eerily somber disposition towards everyone around him.

The death of his father had driven him into a deep depression. A constant state of mourning and self-loathing that was only temporarily broken by the thrill of battle. And even that didn't usually last very long.

He had also grown increasingly more apathetic towards ethics in combat. On occasion, he'd even resorted to torturing his enemies for information, despite the number of times his father had condemned such methods.

Qymaen had transformed himself into a cold, merciless killer. And his conquest was only just beginning.

...

Today, he and Ronderu had traveled off-world to stop a supply ship from leaving with escaped Huk prisoners. Both of them were pursuing the supply ship in their heavy starfighters, which they had named _Heart_ and _Soul._ Once the ship's outer defenses were destroyed, Qymaen and Ronderu fired upon the entrance to one of its hangars, eventually making an opening for themselves.

As they entered the ship, dozens of Huk guards began to swarm the hangar and fire upon their starfighters. But their starfighters' triple laser cannons kept the guards at bay while they made their landings. As soon as their ships touched the ground, Qymaen and Ronderu leapt out of their cockpits with their weapons ready. They then quickly eliminated the remaining Huk and made their way into an adjoining hallway.

They had both studied the inner schematics of these ships, and they wasted no time searching for the prisoners. Each Huk that stood in their way was cut down without hesitation. As much as Ronderu didn't want to admit it, killing without question had practically become second nature to her. She'd become so accustomed to all of the blood and gore that she found herself wondering if the Huk War had taken any of her humanity. And with how brutal Qymaen had become, she was scared to even think about the kind of effect it had had on him.

After searching for a while, they eventually reached a large storage area in the back of the ship. They could hear murmuring coming from behind one of the blast doors. Ronderu used one of her Lig swords to cut into the door's control panel and rip off its cover. She then began rewiring its interior while Qymaen prepared to attack. After repositioning a few wires, the control panel sparked, and the door flew open.

Qymaen and Ronderu bared their weapons as they ran into the room. Upon entering the room, they found themselves face to face with an adult male Skrilling, who was seated on the floor in a meditative position. He addressed Qymaen with his eyes closed.

"General Grievous, I presume?"

"Who are you? Where are the prisoners?"

"Gone. They left in escape pods while you were busy with the guards."

"Where did they go?!"

"I will not tell you."

"Oh you _will_ …"

Qymaen began to approach the Skrilling until Ronderu grabbed his shoulder.

"Qymean, wait! He's…"

After taking another look, he noticed something hidden beneath the Skrilling's cloak.

A lightsaber.

He then realized who the Skrilling was.

Since the Battle of Huk, he had been using the HoloNet to gather information on various Jedi. This Skrilling was a Jedi Knight named Strif Kellidij, who'd been working closely with the Huk for the past few years. Qymaen had spent so long waiting for an opportunity to kill a Jedi. And now, there was one sitting right in front of him.

Ronderu held her Lig swords at her sides.

"We'll take him together."

Qymaen nodded.

"Fine by me."

The Jedi sighed as he got to his feet.

"I was hoping you'd relinquish and leave me be."

He pulled his lightsaber from his belt.

"But I can tell you wish to kill me."

A blue blade sprang from its hilt.

"And so I will defend myself."

Qymaen and Ronderu both leapt at the Jedi with their weapons in-hand. However, the Jedi was too quick for them, predicting their attacks and avoiding them with ease. After finding an opening, he used his lightsaber to cut through their Lig swords, destroying them instantly. He then held out his hands and used the Force to push his attackers back into a wall. After hitting the wall and falling to the floor, Qymaen and Ronderu were given one final warning from the Jedi.

"This is your last chance, Kaleesh. Leave now…or perish."

In a rage, Qymaen pulled out his family Lig sword and charged at the Jedi. However, the Jedi simply continued to dodge as Qymaen swung his weapon wildly. He then took the sword from Qymaen's hand and tossed it to the side. As they fought one another hand-to-hand, Ronderu took out her blaster and fired at the Jedi from a distance. But the Jedi quickly pushed Qymaen away and used the Force to pluck the blaster from Ronderu's hand. With the blaster on the floor, the Jedi reached out his hands once again, lifting his attackers into the air and slamming them both onto the floor.

The impact with the floor's steel plating left Qymaen's entire body sore. He struggled to get up while the Jedi approached him.

"You and your people were no match for us. You were _fools_ to oppose us on Huk."

Qymaen's fists tightened.

"My army…my soldiers…are _stronger_ than you know…"

The Jedi shook his head.

"Army or not…"

He raised his lightsaber above Qymaen's head.

"…you must realize…"

He prepared to strike.

"…you are doomed."

Suddenly, Ronderu leapt onto the Jedi's back and began clawing at his face. As the two of them struggled, Qymaen looked around the room for a weapon. He noticed Ronderu's blaster lying only a few feet away from him. As he crawled toward the weapon, the Jedi managed to get ahold of Ronderu and throw her off of him. He quickly turned around to face Qymaen, only to find him picking up the blaster from the floor. The Jedi charged at Qymaen with his lightsaber bared. But before he could get any closer, Qymaen pulled the trigger on the blaster.

In a split second, a blaster bolt fired from the weapon and struck the Jedi in the stomach. The Jedi immediately fell to his knees and gave a pained moan as he held the burning wound in his gut.

Qymaen then fired the blaster again.

And again.

And again.

Shot after shot was poured into the Jedi's body until the blaster finally ran out of ammo. As the Jedi writhed on the floor in pain, Qymaen got back on his feet and picked up two discarded Lig swords. He then charged at the Jedi and plunged both swords into his neck. Ronderu could only watch as Qymaen cut deeper and deeper into the Jedi's flesh. Less than a minute later, she heard one final sickening cut before the Jedi's body fell to the floor, and Qymaen stood with his severed head in his hand.

As he held the Jedi's head, Qymaen knelt down next to his headless body and picked up his lightsaber. He reactivated it and gazed upon its blue blade.

Such a powerful, magnificent weapon. Wielded by such an unworthy being.

How could the Jedi keep such power to themselves? How could they have squandered it for so many millennia? Who did they think they were? What made them so special?

Nothing.

Nothing did.

They were no less fallible than anyone else. They just refused to admit it.

The Jedi didn't deserve these weapons.

They never had.

And so Qymaen would take them for himself, and use them to strike down the very beings who had created them.

In the hands of the Jedi, the lightsabers had been wasted.

But in the hands of General Grievous, they would be the tools that would reshape the galaxy.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Kalee - Present

Grievous was dreaming again.

It was the same dream he'd had the previous night.

He was still being hoisted into space by a robed figure with strings protruding from his body.

He could still smell the smoke and hear the distant screams as Kalee burned beneath him.

Just like before, he looked up at the figure and tried to discern their identity.

And when he couldn't see their face, he shouted to them again.

"Who are you?! Tell me!"

But this time, the robed figure began to move.

They picked Grievous up higher and lowered their head to look at him.

As they did, the light of the fire below illuminated their face.

It was…Qymaen.

Before the accident.

Before the war.

Before everything.

It was Qymaen as a young, innocent child, looking down upon the monster he would eventually become.

And then, he woke up.

…

As Grievous awoke in his cell, he heard a beep.

And then a click.

And then suddenly, his chains were unlocked.

As he fell onto his hands and knees, he tried to make sense of what he'd just seen.

 _That was…me. But why? Why would I do that to myself? Why would I take myself away from Kalee? Why would I…?_

Just then, Grievous remembered why he was there.

He remembered Pru Troc.

The Izvoshra.

Ronderu.

And after realizing that he'd been freed from his chains, he got back on his feet and ran for the cell door. He banged on the door for a few seconds and then heard a guard on the other side.

"Hey! What're you doing in there?!"

He continued to bang on the door until the guard finally opened it and attacked him with an electrostaff. Grievous quickly grabbed the guard's weapon and struck him in the head with it. As he fell to the floor unconscious, Grievous exited the cell with the electrostaff and headed for the prison's upper levels.

He remembered enough from his earlier visits to the prison to know where his weapons would be stored. After nearly half an hour of navigating hallways and killing guards, he finally reached the prison's armory.

He could hear a struggle going on just behind the entrance. And as soon as he stepped inside, he found Ronderu fighting off a group of Quarren guards. Ronderu looked over toward the door and noticed Grievous standing by the entrance.

"Qymaen!"

While fighting the guards, she quickly reached behind her back and took off her backpack.

"Catch!"

She then threw the backpack over the guards toward Grievous. Grievous caught the backpack in his hand and found his lightsabers inside of it. He immediately took out two of the lightsabers and activated them in his hands, attacking the Quarren guards from behind.

He and Ronderu easily managed to kill the remaining guards and secure the armory. Then once they were sure the coast was clear, they began to sort through their reclaimed weapons.

"How did you escape?"

"Till and I disguised ourselves as guards and took control of the prison's security. Now we just need to regroup with the Izvoshra and find a way out of here."

Grievous nodded.

"Alright then. Let's go."

As Grievous headed for the door, Ronderu called him back over.

"Qymaen, wait!"

Grievous stopped in his tracks and turned back to Ronderu.

"What?"

Ronderu closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she began.

"Back in our cell…Tillodei told me that, along with the Jedi Knights…you'd also been killing _Padawans_. Specifically…that you'd been killing _children_."

Grievous's eyes widened.

"And when I was gathering your lightsabers…I noticed that some of them had _drawings_ on them. _Children's_ drawings."

He looked down at the floor.

"Qymaen…is it true? Have you been killing _kids_?"

He looked back up at her.

"Ronderu…"

"Have you?!"

He was silent for a moment, and then he sighed.

" _None_ of the Jedi are innocent, Ronderu. And if their Order is going to fall, then they _all_ have to be eliminated."

"Oh my god…"

Ronderu's face went pale as she leaned back against a wall.

"You _have_ been…"

Grievous began to approach her.

"Ronderu, I…"

" _No._ "

She held out her hand, signaling him to stop.

"No. Just…don't say anything."

Grievous did as she said, remaining silent while she took a minute to breathe.

"I can't believe it…You actually…"

She began to shake her head.

"How could you…"

Then she shouted at him.

"What the hell is _wrong_ with you?!"

Grievous said nothing as she stopped to take another breath.

"Qymaen...I stood by and _watched_ as you killed that Jedi over Kalee. I stood by and _watched_ as you left us to fend for ourselves so you could get your _revenge_. And I _forgave_ you for it! I _forgave_ you for leaving us! I _forgave_ you for killing god-knows-how-many Jedi! I _forgave_ you for choosing your _vendetta_ over _us_! But _this…_ I…"

Tears were forming in here eyes now.

"I _can't_ , Qymaen…I _can't…_ "

Grievous had never felt more ashamed in his life. Not for the Jedi he'd killed, but for the people he'd left behind. For the world he'd abandoned. For the life he'd wasted.

He felt hollow.

Empty.

Worthless.

Just as he had when he'd lost his father.

When he'd lost the war.

When he'd lost himself.

Minutes of silence passed until Ronderu finally spoke again.

"Look. We still have to find the Izvoshra and get out of here. But once we do, I want you out of my life. Forever. Understand?"

"Ronder…"

" _Understand?_ "

She looked Grievous in the eyes for a few seconds before he finally responded.

"...Yes."

"Good. Now let's go and get this over with."


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Kalee - Present

"Comfortable back there?"

Ventress struggled in the back of Silvya's speeder.

"Define 'comfortable'."

She could feel the stun cuffs digging into her skin.

"Y'know, I wouldn't have to cuff you if you'd just come quietly."

"And why would I do _that_?"

Silvya shrugged.

"I dunno. But it'd make my job a hell of a lot easier."

"Troc must pay you well."

"He pays me just enough for me to get by."

"And you're satisfied with that?"

"Not really. But at least he's consistent about it."

"Why not look for work somewhere else?"

"I've tried hopping around to different employers before and it's never gone well. Troc's pretty stingy, but he's more generous than anyone _else_ I've worked for."

"Do you even _like_ him?"

Silvya scoffed.

"Like _hell_ I do. He's an egomaniac with a god complex. I wouldn't be surprised if he prayed to _himself_ every night. I can barely stand to be in the same _room_ as that skug."

"Then why do you put up with him?"

"The same reason _you_ put up with _Dooku_. So I can get what I need and strike out on my own. Except _I_ don't have any delusions about 'destroying the Jedi'. Just food, water, and a house with a working toilet are good enough for me."

"Those are low aspirations for someone of _your_ talent."

"I could say the same thing about _you_."

There was a brief pause before Silvya continued.

"…So why _do_ you hate the Jedi anyway?"

Ventress thought to herself for a moment before answering.

"Because they're corrupt. And arrogant. And only offer help when it's convenient for them."

"I hear that."

"They claim to be keepers of the peace and yet they only assist those who _compensate_ them. If a world is in turmoil and its people have no money or resources, then the Jedi simply turn a blind eye and move on. They may _act_ like they care, but they _don't_. Because at the end of the day, they're only out for themselves."

"Kinda sounds like you've got a history with them."

"You could say that."

There was another pause.

"…Well?"

"Well _what_?"

"Aw come on. Don't leave me hanging. I told you _my_ backstory. It's only fair you tell me _yours_."

"Seriously?"

"Or you can give me an _abridged_ version if you want. Trip's not gonna be much longer anyway. And besides, it's been a while since I've heard a good story."

Ventress sighed.

"Fine. But only so you won't keep asking me about it."

"Deal."


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Rattatak - 18 Years Ago

"This way, Asajj!"

"Yes, Master!"

It had taken a few months, but Asajj's leg had fully healed from the blast wound. And now, she was ready to continue fighting by her master's side.

Today, they had returned to the town they'd previously fled from to finally rid it of the Wild Pack and the Vulkars. Once again, gunners and raiders from both gangs fired upon the two Jedi from every direction. Hundreds of blaster bolts flew through the air as wounded and terrified civilians cried out for help. Asajj and Ky Narec assisted as many of them as they could, but they quickly became overwhelmed by their attackers.

Everywhere they went, a group of gunners would be waiting for them. And for each group they struck down, another would immediately come to take their place. They had never had to face so many opponents at once, and it was taking all of Asajj's willpower for her to not lose control again.

After cutting down the twelfth group of gunners, Ky Narec suddenly noticed something odd. A few of the Wild Pack and Vulkar gunners seemed to be fighting together. Taking a moment to observe his surroundings, he realized that the two gangs had stopped fighting each other and were now entirely focused on him and his apprentice.

This was no longer a turf war, but an ambush.

As another dozen gunners approached, Ky Narec called over to Asajj.

"Padawan! We're outnumbered! We need to retreat!"

"But they're starting to fall back!"

"No! They're regrouping! They're working together to _kill_ us! We have to go _now_!"

"But Master…!"

"That is an _order_ , Asajj!"

Asajj hesitated for moment. Then when she saw two more groups of gunners heading for their position, she finally agreed.

She and Ky Narec both retreated back the way they came, cutting down gunner after gunner as they searched for a way out. But the two gangs had them cornered now, and neither were planning on letting them live.

As she struck down another gunner, Asajj was taken over by a familiar feeling. The same one she'd had when she'd come face-to-face with the sniper who'd killed Hal'Sted.

Except this time, the feeling was much stronger.

And much closer.

As if the sniper himself was standing right there beside her.

Then, she heard a blast.

And as she turned toward the noise, she saw her master falling to his knees. With a hole in his chest.

Asajj quickly ran over to him, catching him before he could hit the ground. As she held onto him, she felt his heart struggle for a moment, and then stop.

 _No…_

Asajj placed him on the ground and searched for any signs of life.

But there were none.

Ky Narec was dead.

" _Master!_ "

In an instant, she looked over to where the shot had come from. And she saw the very same sniper who'd killed Hal'Sted, knelt down on a nearby ledge, aiming at her with a smirk on his face.

At that moment, Asajj didn't feel grief. Or panic. Or fear.

All she could feel was rage.

Without even thinking, she took her master's lightsaber and wielded it alongside her own. The sniper began to run away, but Asajj reached out with the Force and pushed him over. As he fell to the ground, she leapt into the air and descended upon him with both lightsabers in-hand.

The sniper didn't even have time to react before Asajj cut his body in two.

He screamed in agony as his innards spilled onto the ground. He struggled to crawl away, but Asajj quickly knelt down, wrapped her hands around his neck and began to squeeze. She fiercely gazed into his horror-stricken eyes as the life within them slowly disappeared.

Then, there was a snap.

And his body went limp.

He was dead.

But Asajj wasn't done yet.

Her master was gone.

She was alone.

The gangs of Rattatak had taken _everything_ from her.

And so for as long as she was there, for as long as she could fight, for as long as she lived, she would make them all suffer.

With her rage guiding her, she struck down every last gunner, sniper and raider still alive in the town. No hesitation. No restraint. No mercy. Only death.

She had briefly tasted the dark side when she'd been wounded all those months ago. But now, she allowed it to fully consume her, fueling her anger and unleashing her full power. Despite her master's warnings, despite all she'd been taught for the past eight years, she had abandoned the ways of the Jedi in favor of raw strength and efficiency.

And it seemed to be working.

Less than an hour later, all of the remaining Wild Pack and Vulkar forces in the town were eliminated. And once the coast was clear, Asajj left the town with her master's body in her arms. She didn't even bother to check on the civilians or repair any of the damages. After everything that had happened, all she wanted was to be left alone.

…

That night, Asajj returned to the campsite and gave her master a Jedi's funeral. Once the sun began to set, she constructed a pyre of fallen branches, placed her master's body on top of it and set it aflame with his lightsaber.

As she watched his body burn before her, the reality of the situation finally sunk in.

Ky Narec was dead.

Her master, her friend, her _father_ …was gone.

And once she realized that, all she could do was cry.

Cry and pretend that she could still talk to him.

"Master…I used the dark side again…I can't do this by myself…I need you…Please…I _need_ you…"

But there was no reply. Only the sounds of chirping insects and crackling wood.

"Why didn't you prepare me for this…What am I supposed to _do_ …What am I…"

Her anger returned for a moment.

"What am I supposed to _do_?!"

But it quickly dissipated as her voice echoed through the surrounding woods.

He couldn't hear her.

He couldn't help her.

And no matter what she said or did, he would never come back.

She felt isolated.

Helpless.

Trapped.

She would _never_ be able to free Rattatak by herself.

Her only option now was to call for help.

…

"Hello?"

As she sat by herself in the middle of the woods, Asajj spoke into Ky Narec's transmitter. He'd been using it to send distress calls to Coruscant, in hopes that the Jedi Council would hear him and come to his aid.

She made sure the settings on the transmitter were correct as she continued to speak.

"My name is Asajj Ventress. I'm on Rattatak. Ky Narec has been killed and I need help. Please respond."

There was a solid minute of silence. Then Asajj spoke again.

"My name is Asajj Ventress. I'm on Rattatak. Ky Narec has been killed and I need help. Please respond."

More silence.

"A Jedi Master has been killed on Rattatak and I need help! Somebody _please_ respond!"

Still no answer.

Asajj's frustration was building.

"My name is Asajj Ventress! My master Ky Narec has been stranded here for _years_ and no one has come for him! He's been contacting the _Council_ for years and none of them have answered him! Now he's dead and I'm all alone! And I'll probably _die_ if nobody comes to help me! So can somebody _please_ pick up?!"

Nothing.

"My master is dead and you don't even _care_! Somebody _answer_ me!"

"This is Coruscant Intelligence. Who is this?"

An answer. Finally.

"My name is Asajj Ventress! Jedi Master Ky Narec has been killed on Rattatak and the people here need help! Please send this message to the Jedi Council!"

Another few seconds of silence.

"I'm sorry, but that planet is not in the Republic's jurisdiction. If you'd like to file a complaint, please come to the Senate building on Coruscant and speak with a representative who can present it to an official…"

"I don't _care_ about that! Just tell the Jedi we need…!"

Suddenly, the signal was cut. And the silence returned.

In a blind rage, Asajj threw the transmitter at a tree, causing it to break apart. As the pieces of the transmitter fell in front of her, she looked up at the night sky and began to cry again.

The Jedi weren't coming.

The Republic wasn't coming.

 _No one_ was coming.

She was alone.

Her master was dead.

Her world was enslaved.

And no one seemed to care.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Kalee - Present

Silvya was silent for a few seconds before she spoke again.

"Damn…That's pretty rough…"

Ventress shrugged.

"It happened. I survived. That's all there is to it."

"No _wonder_ you hate the Jedi so much."

"Considering _your_ past with them, I'm surprised you _don't_ hate them."

"…I just figured they weren't worth _obsessing_ over. I mean, what am _I_ gonna do, right?"

"You could do a _lot_ if you honed your skills with the Force."

"And start hunting them? Like you?"

"…Possibly."

Silvya sighed.

"Look. I get why you hate them and why you wanna stop them. But if you ask me, you're just wasting your time."

"How so?"

"Because they're just too _big_. They're a _huge_ group with _thousands_ of members all over the _galaxy_. And you think you can take them down all by _yourself_?"

"Not by myself. I serve a powerful order that's been opposing the Jedi for millennia. And once we gain the upper hand in this war, we _will_ destroy them, along with their Republic."

"But is that _really_ what you want? Is that _really_ how you wanna spend your life?"

"What I want is _freedom_."

"If you want freedom, then you should _forget_ about the Jedi and the Separatists and just live your _life_ for once. Why spend your days chasing something that you're never gonna get? Why give up on being happy for people you don't even _like_? Why settle for _scraps_ when you could be getting _more_?"

"I believe I asked _you_ the same thing."

Silvya went silent again, and then she shook her head.

"Y'know what? Forget it. Do whatever the hell you want. Go ahead and waste your life hunting Jedi. But just know that you could be doing a _lot_ better. And that you _deserve_ a lot better."

"…Same to you."

Silvya paused for moment.

"…You mean that?"

"Of _course_ I do. You're extremely talented. The Separatists would be _lucky_ to have you in their service."

Silvya smiled.

"Thanks. You're pretty talented too."

"I know."

She chuckled to herself. Then she started another conversation.

"So what're you _doing_ here anyway?"

"I'm here to retrieve General Grievous."

"General _who_?"

"He's a cyborg. Leader of the droid army. Just started working with him."

"Is he cute?"

Ventress stared blankly for a moment.

"…No."

Silvya shrugged.

"Ah well. I'm not really into guys anyway."

"Women?"

"Nah. I'm not really into _anyone_ like that. How 'bout you?"

"I could go either way."

"Nice. So…Asajj Ventress. Is that like…your _actual_ name, or just a title?"

"It's the name I was born with."

"Huh. Your family must be pretty intense."

"My mother named me Asajj. Ventress was my father's name."

"Where are they now?"

"My father is dead. He was killed in accordance with his clan's customs. As for my mother…I haven't seen her in decades."

"You know where she is?"

"She's still on Dathomir with the rest of her clan. I'd like to visit her, but Dooku won't allow it."

Silvya shook her head.

"I'm telling you. You'd be _way_ better off without that jerk."

"And _you'd_ be better off without _Troc_."

There was one more pause before Ventress asked a question of her own.

"…Your sister. You _miss_ her, don't you?"

Silvya was still for a second, and then she lowered her head.

"…Yeah. I do."

Ventress nodded.

"I have sisters of my own back on Dathomir. I miss them, even though I've never met them. Sometimes, I fear that by the time Dooku _does_ finally let me visit them…they won't be there anymore."

Silvya nodded as well.

"Yeah. I know what you mean. Even though my sister chose the Jedi over me, I still love her. And I worry about her everyday. I wish I could track her down and try to work things out with her, but..."

She sighed to herself.

"…I've got a _living_ to make here, you know?"

Ventress looked over to her.

"But is that _really_ what you want?"

Both of them were silent until Silvya finally reached the Bug Trap.

"We're here."

After pulling up next to the prison's entrance, she got out of her seat and pulled Ventress to her feet.

"Try not to cause too much trouble in there, okay? I just wanna get paid. That's all."

Ventress continued to speak as Silvya lead her to the entrance.

"You don't have to do this. And I _know_ you don't want to. You could always take my offer and come work for the Separatists."

"I don't wanna get involved in your war. I just wanna survive."

"Don't let yourself be satisfied with just surviving. You deserve better than that."

Silvya opened the door for Ventress.

"…Same to you."


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Kalee - Present

One Izvoshra after another entered the warden's office as Tillodei kept her blaster trained on the tactical droid. After about twenty minutes of waiting, the rest of the Izvoshra were finally reunited. One of them asked Tillodei a question.

"So what do we do now?"

Tillodei looked around once more to make sure no one was watching them.

"We're going to wait for Ru to get here with our weapons. Then, we're gonna find a way out of this prison."

…

Meanwhile, Grievous and Ronderu were making their way back to the office. As they turned a corner and entered a hallway, they noticed two guards at the end of the hall, talking with each other while facing the other direction. Grievous began to reach for his lightsabers, but Ronderu quickly stopped him.

" _No_. If we bring anymore attention to ourselves, we could end up endangering the others."

Once Grievous relinquished his attack, he and Ronderu listened in on the guards' conversation.

"What about that prisoner on the ship?"

"Ventress? I wouldn't worry about her. Silvya's probably taken care of her by now."

Grievous's eyes widened with surprise.

 _Ventress? When did_ she _get here?_

He continued listening.

"I heard Troc told Silvya to bring her back _here_."

"Why? He's gonna be leaving soon anyway now that the prison's back under control."

 _"_ That's just like Troc. Come visit us when we screw up and then go right back to ignoring us."

"Them's the breaks, I guess."

 _Troc is leaving? I can't let him escape. Not after everything he's done._

Grievous wasn't about to let his father's killer get away so easily. He needed to find him before he could get back to his ship.

But he couldn't leave Ronderu. Especially not now when she and the Izvoshra needed him.

He whispered to her as the guards continued talking.

"Ronderu. We can't let Troc leave. We have to kill him while we have the chance."

" _First_ we're going to find the others. Then we _might_ go after Troc."

"Might?"

"Qymaen, you _saw_ what he did to us. What he did to _you_. We may not be any _match_ for him."

"We have to try."

"Look. I get that you hate the Jedi, but can you _really_ not go _one_ day without…"

"It's not just that. Ronderu… _he's_ the one who killed my father."

Ronderu suddenly stopped and thought back to the Battle of Huk. She then remembered the Huk Jedi who'd issued a warning to them before leading his fellow Jedi in battle.

She remembered hearing Qymaen's scream and seeing him with his father.

She remembered running back to the ship and consoling him in the hangar.

And finally, she remembered the sickening grin on the Huk Jedi's face as he watched them all fly away.

That Jedi, the one who'd killed Nollus, the one who'd kept the Kaleesh from winning all those years ago…was _Troc_.

And she'd never realized it until now.

"Oh my god…You're right…"

Grievous nodded.

"I'm not going to leave you, Ronderu. But I can't let Troc go. Not again."

After taking a second to refocus herself, Ronderu reasoned with Qymaen.

"We'll meet back up with the Izvoshra and _then_ we'll talk about going after Troc. Okay?"

Grievous hesitated for a moment before nodding again.

"Okay."


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Kalee - 10 Years Ago

"So _you're_ the one they call General Grievous?"

"Yes."

San Hill's holo image flickered before Qymaen. Despite the poor connection, Qymaen could tell that the Muun had been preparing for this call.

"I am San Hill. Newly appointed Chairman of the InterGalactic…"

"I know who you are, Muun. Now tell me what you want."

Hill stopped for a second and let out an awkward chuckle.

"Ah hah, yes. Straight to the point. I like that."

He then cleared his throat before continuing.

"So General…if I may call you so…if recent reports from the Republic are to be believed, it seems you have some experience dealing with _Jedi_ , correct?"

"Yes."

"In fact, you recently _killed_ a Jedi…quite _brutally_ , I might add…just above your home planet. An act which has led to an increase in Republic taxation, correct?"

"Get to the point, Muun."

"Very well, General."

Another throat clearing. This one even more fake-sounding than the last.

"Since the Invasion of Naboo, the Jedi have become increasingly paranoid of various corporate entities throughout the galaxy. _Especially_ the Banking Clan. Though the Council denies it, many Jedi have been discovered spying on different worlds affiliated with the Banking Clan. And I'm afraid that some of my guild's most well-guarded secrets will be _exposed_ if these Jedi spies are not dealt with immediately."

"So what do you want from _me_?"

" _Protection_ , my boy. Protection from the Jedi who threaten the sovereignty of the Banking Clan and its associates. And in return, the Banking Clan shall provide your world with food, medicine and any other supplies it requires."

Qymaen's eyes widened.

The situation on Kalee was growing worse by the day. He couldn't let this opportunity pass.

"I'm listening."

"I need someone to er… _take care_ of these Jedi spies."

"You mean kill them?"

"If you want me to be _blunt_ about it, then yes. I've hired countless mercenaries for the job, but none of them have been able to eliminate their targets. _You_ on the other hand might be able to succeed where they could not. And if you _do_ manage to kill some of these Jedi, I _promise_ that you will not be discovered nor arrested by the Republic."

"How?"

"I have _powerful_ friends, General. You can kill the Jedi as brutally as you'd like. My associates will make sure that their deaths are _not_ investigated and that _none_ of them will be tied back to you."

"And that my people will be supplied in return?"

"Oh of course! I _am_ a generous Chairman, General. And I would _never_ recruit someone of _your_ talent without providing proper compensation."

Qymaen looked away for a second to check on Ronderu, who was watching their meeting from afar. While she did appear hesitant, she also seemed interested in San Hill's proposal.

Qymaen then turned his attention back to the Chairman.

"For how long?"

"For as long you'd _like_ , my boy. As long as the Jedi threaten our security, your services will _not_ be unwelcome."

"And I can leave whenever I want?"

"Oh certainly! You're free to end the agreement at any time. So long as you notify us first."

Qymaen looked over at Ronderu once more. After a few seconds of consideration, she nodded in agreement.

Qymaen then gave his answer.

"Very well, Chairman. I will accept your terms."

Hill folded his hands in excitement.

"Excellent! Your first target will be on Muunilinst. Feel free to come whenever you're ready."

"I also have a request."

"Yes?"

"I'd like to bring my roggwart with me. He will be useful against the Jedi."

"Hmm…Not _my_ first choice for a pet, but very well. I will permit it."

Hill then placed his hands behind his back.

"I look forward to meeting you in person, General."

As the call ended and Hill's image disappeared, Ronderu approached Qymaen.

"How long will you be gone for?"

"Only for as long as I need to be."

"Just…don't make it _too_ long, okay? The Izvoshra and I can lead the armies while you're gone, but…it won't be the same without you."

"Don't worry, Ronderu. I'm only doing this for Kalee. And once we have enough supplies to last us for a few years, I'll come back."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

After a brief pause, Ronderu smiled and nodded.

"Okay. Let's go get Gor."

…

A few hours later, Qymaen and Gor were both on a Kalee warship getting ready for takeoff. As the pilots prepared to depart for Muunilinst, Ronderu, the Izvoshra and about a hundred other soldiers bid farewell to their general. Since his recruitment as a child, Qymaen had spent every single day fighting alongside the Kaleesh armies. But now, he would be leaving them all to fight for themselves while he secured supplies for their world. Knowing this would be the last time he'd see any of them for a while, he assured his soldiers that he would return in time, and that they would be more than enough to defend Kalee in his absence.

After speaking with all of the soldiers present, Qymaen finally said goodbye to Ronderu and the rest of his elite cadre. As the warship's engines sprang to life, Ronderu spoke with him one last time.

"You'll come back as soon as you can, right?"

Qymaen nodded.

"I will."

Ronderu smiled once more as she punched him on the shoulder.

"Good luck, General."

As Qymaen smiled beneath his mask, the warship began to lift off the ground. He took a step back and secured himself against the wall while his followers below grew smaller and smaller. Once they were above Kaleela, Qymaen took one final look at Kalee's sunset before the hangar door closed.

 _Goodbye, Kalee. I'll be back soon._


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Kalee - Present

The Izvoshra were debating about what they should do.

"I think we should go look for Ronderu just in case."

"We can't afford to draw any attention to ourselves."

"But she could be in trouble."

"It's Ronderu. I think she can handle a couple guards if she has to."

"What about Troc? He's still here, isn't he?"

"Relax. We can deal with him later."

"But what if he finds us? For all we know, he could be heading here right now."

"Yeah. I say we start moving."

"Why? We're fine here."

"How do _you_ know that?"

Tillodei turned her attention away from the tactical droid for a moment.

"Everyone settle down. Ronderu will be here with our weapons soon. Once we're armed, we'll find our way out of here and figure out what to…"

Suddenly, an alarm started blaring from the prison's speakers. Tillodei turned around and found the tactical droid activating a hidden emergency switch. The droid gave a satisfied laugh before Tillodei blasted it apart with her bowcaster. She then knelt down next to the switch and tried to deactivate it, but it seemed to be locked in place. After struggling with it for a few seconds, she gave up and fired her bowcaster at it. Though the switch was shattered, the alarm continued to sound throughout the prison.

Tillodei sighed to herself.

"It was getting boring around here anyway. Guys, we're gonna have company!"

…

Grievous and Ronderu nearly jumped at the sound of the alarm coming from above them. The guards standing in front of them were visibly startled by the noise.

"The hell's goin' on _now_?"

"Dunno. Let's go check with the warden."

As the guards ran off to the warden's office, Grievous and Ronderu quietly followed them to their destination. They managed to stay hidden for a few minutes; until another pair of guards spotted them from an adjoining hallway.

"Hey! Stop right there!"

Every other guard in the area immediately turned to face the escaped prisoners, their blasters ready to fire.

In an instant, Grievous and Ronderu drew their own weapons and attacked the guards head-on.

Grievous used his lightsabers to deflect the guards' blaster bolts and cut through their armor, while Ronderu quickly dodged their attacks and stabbed them with her Lig swords.

Once all of the guards in the area were taken care of, they began running toward the warden's office, their weapons ready in case anymore guards tried attacking them.

…

Meanwhile, the warden's office was being swarmed by dozens of Wild Pack guards. Despite their overwhelming numbers, Tillodei and the Izvoshra fought them as fiercely as they could. Their backs to one another, they assumed their earlier formation and attacked their opponents from every possible angle. While the Izvoshra were able to hold off their attackers for a couple minutes, the sheer amount of guards pouring in soon became too much for them. But before their formation could be broken, a familiar war cry filled the air.

The next thing they knew, Ronderu and Grievous had leapt into the fray, slashing at the crowd of guards and forcing them out of the office. Once the path was clear, Tillodei and the Izvoshra followed Grievous and Ronderu out though the office door, joining them in battle.

With all nine warriors reunited at last, the remaining Wild Pack guards were virtually no match. Those who continued to fight were quickly slain, while others gave up and retreated in fear.

Once they were alone, the Izvoshra took a moment to rest and regather themselves. Tillodei walked up to Ronderu and put her hand on her shoulder.

"It certainly took you long enough."

Ronderu smirked.

"You're welcome."

After sharing a brief kiss, she put down her bags and started giving the Izvoshra their weapons.

As he looked upon his former cadre, Grievous felt a tinge of nostalgia; as well as regret.

 _If only I'd stayed…If only…_

Suddenly, he heard a flurry of footsteps coming from a nearby hallway. The rest of the Izvoshra heard it as well, and they all prepared themselves for battle.

Grievous unlocked his second pair of arms and activated two more lightsabers.

 _This is for Kalee._


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Kalee - Present

While Ventress waited, Silvya knocked on a blast door within the prison.

Upon knocking, she was greeted by a gatekeeper droid which extended from a small hole in the door. Unlike most gatekeeper droids which spoke in Huttese, this one spoke in Basic; the preferred language of the Huk.

"Name and business?"

"Silvya. I'm here with the prisoner."

"Ah…"

The droid blinked with excitement.

"The master will be most pleased. Ha ha ha ha!"

Once the droid returned to its hole, the blast door slowly opened, revealing a brightly lit room with a large glass window inside. And standing at the window with his hands behind his back was none other than Pru Troc, overlooking the main area of the prison.

Silvya turned to Ventress and nudged her rifle in the direction of the room. Her hands still cuffed, Ventress silently walked into the room with Silvya close behind her.

As they entered the room, Troc turned away from the window to face them.

"Silvya. I was wondering when you'd get here."

"Nice to see you too, boss."

Silvya kept her rifle trained on Ventress as they both stopped in front of Troc.

"She must've given you quite the chase."

"She wasn't a problem. Now where's my pay?"

"Patience, patience. You'll get your pay. But first, I just need you to do one, final thing for me."

"And what's that?"

Troc's eyes narrowed.

"Kill her."

Silvya's eyes widened.

"…What?"

"Did you not hear me? I said _kill her_."

She looked at Ventress for a second and then turned back to Troc.

"But I thought you wanted her alive."

"I _did_. But now, I want her dead. And once she _is_ dead, your pay will be extended to _ten times_ the usual amount. You won't have to worry about scrounging for food or supplies ever again. And all you have to do…is kill her."

Silvya thought to herself while Ventress remained completely quiet.

Troc was growing suspicious.

"…Or I could just _fire_ you and let you search for work _elsewhere_. I doubt you'll find anyone as generous as _me_ , though."

After a moment of silence, Silvya finally sighed to herself and raised her rifle. She pointed it at the back of Ventress's head while Troc looked on with anticipation.

"Sorry, Asajj."


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Rattatak - 12 Years Ago

Asajj had changed over the past six years.

Since Ky Narec's death, she had sworn to do everything in her power to rid Rattatak of its cruel warlords. And with no Jedi to guide her, she had fully embraced the dark side of the Force. Wielding both her and her old master's lightsabers, she struck swiftly and relentlessly, attacking dozens of gang encampments and slaughtering hundreds of enforcers by herself. Some of the locals saw her as a hero, while others saw her as just another warlord. Either way, she seemed to be slowly liberating Rattatak one region at a time. And even the planet's mightiest warlords struggled to hinder her progress.

On this particular day however, one of them had finally managed to capture Rattatak's fabled Angel of Death.

…

"The prisoner's ready, boss."

"Bring her in."

Penul, the leader of the Vulkars sat in his chair as he waited for his prisoner to be brought to him. He was a male Noghri of average size, with pale gray skin and bright red eyes. He wore a black and orange jumpsuit and held a shot glass in his right hand. He also wore a harness on his back which contained a customized violet electrostaff. After a few seconds of waiting, the door in front of him finally opened. About a dozen Weequay guards then stepped through the door with the prisoner in front of them. The prisoner was bound in stun cuffs and had a bag placed over their head. They stepped forward and kneeled before Penul while one of the guards aimed a rifle at their back.

Penul stood up from his chair and slowly approached the prisoner. Then with one swift motion, he removed the bag from their head and looked them in the eyes.

"Asajj Ventress. At last."

Asajj remained calm.

"I assume you aren't a fan?"

Penul chuckled to himself as he crossed his arms.

"I've been waiting a _long_ time for this. The day where I finally put an end to the _pest_ who's been sabotaging my operations. You've caused me a _lot_ of trouble these past few years. And I think it's about time that you learned your lesson."

The armed guard pressed their rifle against the back of Asajj's head.

"Originally, I was gonna have my droids _torture_ you to death. But then I realized that torturing you would give you ample opportunity to escape. And I _really_ do not want that. So instead, I'm just gonna have one of my boys shoot you through the skull. Right here, right now. It may not be the most _satisfying_ death in the world, but at least you'll be out of my hair for good."

Asajj looked at Penul's forehead.

"You have hair?"

Penul gritted his teeth.

"Oh I am _so_ gonna enjoy watching you die…"

"The feeling is mutual."

He then sat back in his chair and spoke to the armed guard.

"On my command."

The guard nodded and placed his finger on the rifle's trigger.

"Ready."

He kept the rifle in position.

"Aim."

Asajj closed her eyes.

She took a deep breath.

And the next moment, her lightsabers activated.

They sprang to life in the guard's pockets, cutting through both of his legs. As he fell onto the floor screaming, Asajj focused on the lightsabers and reached out with the Force. The blades then began to fly through the air around her, cutting through each of the Weequay guards with rapid speed. They were all dead in less than five seconds. And once they were, Asajj called her lightsabers to her hands and used them to cut through her stun cuffs. Now free, she stood up and looked down at a mortified Penul, his mouth agape at the sight of his best guards lying dead in front of him.

As Asajj stood over Penul with her lightsabers in hand, he began to laugh nervously in his chair.

"Wow…That's uh…Really impressive…Y'know, I had a feeling that…"

Just then, he leapt out of his chair and threw it at Asajj before running on all fours towards the door. Asajj quickly discarded the chair and began to pursue her target.

Penul was quick on his hands and feet as he darted through the halls of his private home. But Asajj had the Force on her side, and she used it to increase her already impressive speed while keeping track of the Noghri warlord.

After a brief chase, she managed to corner Penul in one of his game rooms. As Asajj lunged at him, he pulled out his electrostaff and used it to block her lightsabers.

The two fought one another throughout the game room, knocking over tables and cabinets as they tried to keep up with each other's movements. Penul leapt from wall to wall while swinging his electrostaff with his foot, making it hard for Asajj to strike at him or even get ahold of him with the Force.

Though after a few minutes of fighting, Penul quickly began to tire out. And as soon as there was an opening, Asajj grabbed him by his leg and threw him to the floor, knocking away his weapon in the process. She then used the Force to grab Penul by his throat and threw him back against a wall. Asajj maintained her grip on Penul as he struggled to breathe, his body floating in midair just above the floor. Still holding onto his throat, Asajj slowly approached Penul and looked him in the eyes.

"You know what happens now, right?"

Penul struggled to speak, his voice quivering with panic.

"Please…I can…pay you…whatever you want…just…don't…kill me…"

Asajj's eyes narrowed.

"You should've thought about that before you had my masters killed."

She reared Ky Narec's lightsaber.

"No…Please… _Don't_ …"

And then, without a second thought, she thrust it forward.

The blade pierced Penul's chest, as well as the wall behind him. His face was warped by shock for a moment before his entire body went limp. Once he stopped moving, Asajj deactivated the blade and allowed him to fall to the floor. She double-checked his body to make sure there were no signs of life. As she expected, there weren't any.

The leader of the Vulkars was dead. And with no chosen successor, the rest of his gang would hopefully follow suit.

…

Later that night, Asajj set up a small fire near the campsite and knelt down in front of it. As the fire burned, she reached into her pocket and took out a small bag of violet charcoal. She then held the bag over the fire until the charcoal inside was hot. After opening the bag, she placed two of her fingers in the heated charcoal, using the Force to block out the pain. Then once the charcoal was stuck to her fingers, she took them out of the bag and brushed them along the side of her mouth. Once the charcoal cooled, a light streak of violet was left on her skin.

Asajj had done this with every warlord she'd killed, signifying each of her victories with a new mark on her face. She'd killed twelve of them so far, and the next one on her list was one she'd been anticipating for a long time.

One she'd been wanting to kill since the day she arrived on Rattatak.

Tomorrow, she would finally eliminate Osika Kirske.

Along with his precious Wild Pack.


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Kalee - Present

"Sorry, Asajj."

Ventress remained calm as Silvya aimed her rifle at the back of her head.

Troc's eyes eagerly narrowed, his anticipation building with each passing second.

Silvya then placed her finger on the rifle's trigger.

Ventress closed her eyes.

She took a deep breath.

But before she could do anything, Silvya turned the rifle away from her and fired at Troc.

Troc quickly leapt to the side, just barely dodging the blaster bolt as it struck the large window behind him. Silvya then continued to fire at Troc, forcing him to leap across the room and draw out his lightsaber.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

In the midst of the confusion, Silvya tossed a key into Ventress's hands, allowing her to unlock her stun cuffs and take back her lightsabers.

"No reward is worth this. I'm done taking orders from you."

"I'm your only source of income! If you turn your back on me, you'll _never_ eat again!"

Silvya dropped her rifle and took out her electrostaff as Ventress activated her lightsabers.

"I'd rather be starving than kissing your ass."

Troc growled as he bared his orange blade.

"Then I'll kill you _both_!"

He then leapt at Ventress and Silvya, who blocked his lightsaber with their own weapons. As they struggled against Troc, Silvya freed one of her hands and used it to push Troc back with the Force. Troc was caught off guard for a moment, but he managed to hold his ground as Silvya and Ventress attacked him from both sides.

Suddenly, an alarm began to sound overhead. Realizing that there'd been a breach, Troc used the Force to push his attackers away, causing them to collide with a nearby wall.

While Ventress and Sylvia struggled to get back up, Troc quickly ran to the damaged window.

" _Neither_ of you are worth my time! I've got more _important_ business to tend to!"

He then used his lightsaber to make a single cut across the window, causing the glass to break apart. Once the window was shattered, Troc leapt through the opening and headed down into the prison below.

As the alarm continued to blare throughout the room, Ventress got back up and helped Silvya to her feet.

"Your boss is something else."

Silvya put her electrostaff back in its harness.

"I'm sure _yours_ is, too."

She then picked up her rifle and ushered toward the window.

"Shall we?"

"He'll probably be expecting us to go that way. We might want to use the door."

"But where's the fun in _that_?"

Ventress considered this for a moment.

"…Fine. We'll go through the window."

Silvya smiled.

" _Now_ you're talking."


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Kalee - Present

Reunited and fully armed, the Izvoshra were now on the offensive, attacking and eliminating any guards that stood in their way. They fought ferociously as they ran through the halls of the prison in search of an escape route.

Grievous and Ronderu both lead in the front, while Tillodei used her rifle to guard their group from the back. The remaining Izvoshra kept their attention on their surroundings, ready to fight and defend themselves at any point. Ronderu called to them as they entered an adjoining hallway.

"Keep your eyes open! We need to find an exit!"

Grievous turned to her.

"What about Troc?"

"We'll deal with him if we run into him!"

"But he could be leaving right now!"

"Then we'll probably find him outside the prison!"

"How do you know?"

"I _don't_ know, Qymaen! I'm just trying to get us out of here before we're surrounded!"

"But…"

Suddenly, a pained yell echoed through the hall. The yell was deep and sharp, and it seemed to be emanating from about a dozen meters away. The Izvoshra all stopped dead in their tracks, cautiously waiting for someone to come charging at them.

And a few seconds later, they heard a familiar noise.

The activation of a lightsaber.


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Muunilinst - 10 Years Ago

"Welcome! Welcome!"

San Hill shook Qymaen's hand as he stepped out of his ship onto the landing platform.

"I hope the journey wasn't _too_ cumbersome."

After shaking his hand, Hill looked past Qymaen and noticed Gor sleeping inside the ship.

"Oh my goodness…"

Qymaen reassured him.

"He's trained. He shouldn't cause any unwanted damage."

Hill quickly clasped his hands and put on another fake smile.

"Oh of course! Of course. I have no doubt you've tamed him well."

"You have something for me to sign?"

"As a matter of fact…"

He then reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a datapad with a pen on its side.

"…I have the contract right here. You and your… _pet_ will hunt for Jedi spies on planets within the Banking Clan's jurisdiction. All the while, you will be provided with food and shelter free of charge, as well as protection from Republic investigation."

"And Kalee will be supplied as well?"

Hill made a crossing gesture over his chest.

"Cross my hearts."

Qymaen nodded.

"Alright. Give me the contract."

Hill handed the datapad over to Qymaen and continued to speak as he read it.

"Once you sign the contract, your first assignment will be to eliminate a Jedi on this very world. He is a Shistavanen by the name of Orot Nol, and he's been spying on my personal quarters for a few months now. Yet no matter how many guards or bounty hunters I send, he always manages to evade my grasp. My hope is that you and your lizard there will be the ones to finally catch him and get him out of my business for good. _If_ , of course, you're up to the challenge."

Once Qymaen finished reading the contract, he took the pen out from its holder and signed his name on the bottom line.

"Count on it."

…

A few days passed with no activity near the Chairman's quarters. Qymaen could tell that Gor was losing his patience. As he gave an annoyed growl, Qymaen patted him on the head.

"Don't worry, Gor. It shouldn't be much longer now. Sooner or later, the Jedi will come to us."

Gor closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep. But then, his eyes shot back open, and his nostrils began to excitedly sniff the air. Qymaen secured himself on his saddle while Gor stood back up and followed the scent through the abandoned street.

"What is it, Gor? What did you find?"

Gor continued searching until he reached a small bridge linking two apartment buildings. Once on the bridge, he carefully approached a narrow crevice that seemed to have been made in the pavement. As Gor stood over the crevice, Qymaen noticed what appeared to be a small light emanating from inside it. He then got up from his saddle, leapt down onto the bridge and tried to quietly squeeze himself between the pavement.

After struggling for a bit, he finally got through and allowed himself to fall into the crevice. It only took a few seconds for his feet to hit solid ground. The interior of the bridge was mostly pitch black, with the exception of the light that Qymaen had seen earlier. Remaining quiet, he slowly stepped over toward the light and realized that it was a small lantern perched on what appeared to be an old desk. The lantern seemed to be cracked slightly, causing the fire inside to burn the outer glass casing.

Gor had been trained to smell out the smallest of fires from the farthest of distances. And now that he was this close to it, Qymaen could smell it as well.

Turning his attention away from the lantern, he noticed that the floor was littered with bottles, wrappers and burnt matches. He then looked over to his right and saw a small makeshift bed far off in the corner.

But before he could take another step, Qymaen heard a familiar noise.

The activation of a lightsaber.

And the next thing he knew, he was being tackled to the ground.

Orot Nol growled in Qymaen's face as he dug his claws into his tunic.

"No trespassers!"

He then lifted his green lightsaber above his head and prepared to strike.

But before he could, Qymaen grabbed him by his wrist and threw him across the room. After hitting the wall behind him, Nol quickly put away his weapon and leapt up toward the crevice overhead. Qymaen followed close behind, latching onto another wall and jumping up through the opening. As the Shistavanen ran across the bridge on all fours, Qymaen whistled to Gor, who knelt down and allowed his master to climb back onto his saddle. Qymaen held onto the reins and steadied himself on the saddle as Gor chased after Nol.

Nol was extremely fast, to the point that even Gor was struggling to keep up with him. And while roggwarts were agile, they were far too massive to make sharp turns in such narrow streets. As much as he tried, he couldn't keep himself from colliding with multiple buildings throughout the chase. Bits of rubble and broken glass fell upon Qymaen with each impact, obscuring his vision and making it difficult for him to keep track of the Jedi.

Eventually, Gor managed to chase Nol into an abandoned junk yard. Nol tried to find an exit, but he was surrounded by piles of serrated scrap metal, making escape nearly impossible.

As Nol attempted to climb over one of the scrap piles, Qymaen leapt off of Gor and charged at the Jedi.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out Strif Kellidij's lightsaber and activated its blue blade. He then jumped at Nol, grabbing him by his foot and pulling him off of the scrap pile. And once they were both on the ground, Nol reactivated his own lightsaber and ran straight at Qymaen.

Their blades clashed dozens of times as they fought through the junk yard. Meanwhile, Gor stood guard by the entrance, preventing the Jedi from making any escape. Nol swung his weapon at Qymaen and slashed at him with his claws. But Qymaen managed to dodge his attacks while blocking his saber with his own. However, after a few minutes of keeping up with Nol, he quickly began to tire out.

Qymaen had spent years training himself for close combat. But even he was not as agile as Nol. The Shistavanen had strong limbs and a flexible spine, along with a sensitive nose that allowed him to keep track of his opponent's vital signs. Qymaen kept up his adrenaline for as long as he could. But he soon found himself losing ground against Nol.

After another few saber clashes, the Jedi swiped at Qymaen once again. This time, his claws dug into the Kaleesh's exposed leg. Qymaen grunted and bit his lip, trying not to fall over as blood emerged from the deep claw marks.

And then, without warning, Nol swung his saber upwards, causing the blade to slice through Qymaen's right shoulder.

Qymaen screamed in agony as his severed arm fell to the ground. Then, before he could even breathe, the Jedi brought his lightsaber down and up again, cutting through Qymaen's left arm as well.

The pain was so sudden and intense that Qymaen couldn't even scream anymore. All he could do was fall onto his knees and try to compose himself. As blood poured onto the concrete, Nol stood over Qymaen with his lightsaber pointed at his head. The Shistavanen bared his teeth as he gave a malicious growl.

"This is gonna hurt."

Nol held his lightsaber to the side and prepared to cut off Qymaen's legs. But before he could move another inch, Gor's tail came swinging right into him. The impact of the roggwart's tail sent Nol flying back into one of the piles of serrated scrap. Upon hitting the scrap pile, he was impaled by at least a dozen of the sharpened edges sticking out from it. Nol roared and howled as jagged metal dug deep into his skin, tearing his muscles and leaving his fur coated with blood.

After calming himself down, Qymaen slowly stood back up and looked over at his opponent. He then looked down at one of his severed arms, still holding Kellidij's lightsaber. Breathing heavily and regathering his energy, he carefully knelt over and picked up the saber with his mouth. He then took a few steps forward before going into a full-blown run.

Nol struggled against immense pain to pull himself off from the metal. But within seconds, his opponent was inches from his face. And with the lightsaber still in his mouth, Qymaen swung his head downward, causing the blade to cut through the Jedi's neck.

Tired and bloodied, Qymaen stood and watched as Nol's head slowly slid from his neck and fell onto the ground. He then watched as his head collided with the pavement and rolled over on its side, a look of terror gracing the Jedi's unmoving face.

Qymaen then allowed Kellidij's lightsaber to fall from his mouth and hit the pavement beneath his feet. And as soon as he knelt back down and allowed himself to rest, he finally passed out.

…

Qymaen awoke on a cold metal table beneath a blinding light. After allowing his eyes to adjust, he slowly sat up on the table and checked his surroundings. He found himself in a small, brightly lit room with windows showing an adjoining corridor. On his left was a medical droid checking the wound where one of his arms had once been. And on his right was San Hill, looking upon him with relief in his eyes.

"Finally awake, I see."

"Where am I?"

"In a medical center near my private bunker."

"Where's Gor?"

"He's fine. Though he was quite agitated when I found him."

"And the Jedi?"

"Oh dead. Very much dead. And I held onto both his and your lightsabers since I figured you'd want to keep them."

Hill reached into his pocket and took out both lightsabers.

Qymaen then looked at both of his wounds and turned back to Hill.

"Do you still have my arms?"

"Unfortunately, no. The nerves on them were too badly damaged for reattachment. However…"

Hill put down the lightsabers and took out a holoprojector.

"…we _can_ give you a _new_ set of arms. _Droid_ arms, to be more specific."

" _Droid_ arms?"

Qymaen was hesitant. He'd never been fond of droids. Having to wear parts of them would be humiliating. But if it was the only way he'd be able to keep killing Jedi, then he would have to accept the Chairman's offer.

Hill then activated the projector and scrolled through a few different droid models.

"I've chosen a couple of battle droid models that I think you might be interested in. We've got your standard B1 models, MagnaGuards, old Krath war droids, Assassin droids…"

"Wait. Go back."

Hill went back to the Krath war droid. Qymaen then took a closer look at the model, taking note of its joints and armor plating. And after thinking to himself for a moment, he made his choice.

"That one."


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Kalee - Present

Grievous was ready.

He'd been waiting for this moment since the day he lost his father.

Since the day he failed to liberate his home.

Since the day he saw the Jedi for what they truly were.

A pack of self-righteous hypocrites who thought only of themselves.

And now, he would finally get revenge on the one Jedi who'd started it all.

The one who'd taken everything from him in one fell swoop.

The one who'd ruined his life forever.

Pru Troc.

Grievous braced himself as he and the Izvoshra reared their weapons.

They could hear Troc's footsteps getting louder and louder as he approached the bend in the hallway.

They could see the glow of his orange lightsaber reflecting off of the clean durasteel walls.

For a moment, Grievous even thought that he could hear the Jedi panting heavily.

Roughly a minute passed as the Izvoshra waited for their enemy to appear.

And then, as the prison's alarm continued to blare overhead, Pru Troc stepped out from behind the corner.

He was limping and holding his left leg, as if he'd fallen and injured himself. His face held a look of anger and impatience, his eyes bulging and glaring at the Kaleesh standing before him. With his lightsaber at his side, he ushered a warning to his former captives.

"Out. Of. My. Way."

But the Izvoshra refused to obey.

Standing their ground, they held up their weapons and prepared to fight the Jedi head on.

And with an annoyed sigh, Troc reluctantly gave in.

Pushing through the pain in his leg, he leapt up at the ceiling and descended upon the Kaleesh warriors. He then pushed two of them away with the Force while grabbing another one with his right leg. As he threw them across the hall, Grievous charged at Troc with four of his lightsabers bared. Troc managed to block the General's blades with his own, only to be struck from behind by Ronderu's Lig sword. The sword dug deep into the Huk's shoulder, causing him to shriek in pain. And before the Izvoshra could even react, the Jedi tapped into his rage and unleashed a storm of Force lighting.

The lightning knocked all of the Izvoshra back against the surrounding walls, the sudden surge of power leaving all of them too stunned to get up.

All of them except for Grievous.

As Troc started running through the hallway, Grievous quickly got back on his feet and chased after the Jedi, leaving the wounded Izvoshra behind.

Her body still in pain, Ronderu looked up at Grievous and called out to him.

"Qymaen! _Wait!_ "

But Grievous didn't respond. Ronderu could only watch as he pursued Troc down the hallway.

Once they were gone, Ronderu turned her head toward Tillodei, who'd collided with a wall right beside her.

"Till. You okay?"

Tillodei groaned as she slowly stood back up.

"Aside from nearly being shocked to death…"

She then extended a hand to Ronderu.

"…I've felt worse."

Ronderu took Tillodei's hand and slowly got back on her feet. The rest of the Izvoshra then began to follow suit.

"So what do we do now?"

"What else?"

Tillodei took out her rifle and reloaded it.

"We go kill that son of a bug."

Ronderu smiled and nodded to Tillodei. But before either of them could take another step, they heard two other people running up behind them. They turned around and came face to face with Ventress and Silvya, who were also in pursuit of Troc.

Upon reaching the Izvoshra, Ventress and Silvya stopped dead in their tracks and stared at the group of wounded warriors, who stared at them as well.

Silvya was the first one to speak.

"Uh…who are you guys?"

Tillodei responded.

"We're the Izvoshra. We're here to kill Pru Troc."

She then noticed Silvya's uniform.

"Are you with the Wild Pack?"

"I… _used_ to be. But then I got fed up with my boss and now I'm trying to kill him. It's…kinda complicated."

"…Huh."

Meanwhile, Ronderu turned her attention to Ventress.

"And who are _you_ supposed to be?"

Ventress thought to herself for a second before answering.

"I'm her friend."

"So you turned on the Wild Pack, too?"

"…Yes."

"And you're _both_ trying to kill Troc?"

Silvya nodded.

"Yep."

Tillodei turned to Ronderu.

"We _could_ use some help."

Ronderu considered this for a moment, and then she turned back to Ventress and Silvya.

"Alright. You two can stick with us. We'll kill Troc together. But we're gonna have to catch him first. Just follow our lead."


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Kalee - Present

The Izvoshra ran through the hallway with Ventress and Silvya close behind. Even with the alarm still blaring, they could hear the clashing of lightsabers up ahead.

Silvya and Ventress kept their weapons ready as they approached the warden's office.

"After this, I'm heading off-world to look for better work."

"Where'd you have in mind?"

"I dunno. Batuu, Castilon, Had Abbadon…basically anywhere outside Republic jurisdiction."

"In that case, you won't have to look that far."

"Hopefully…"

Once they finally reached the office, they found Grievous and Troc engaged in close combat. Grievous was using all four of his arms to attack, but Troc was using his agility to dodge and counter with ease. The Izvoshra ran forward to join the fight. But before they could get any closer, they were suddenly surrounded by another group of guards. The guards aimed their weapons and fired at the intruders, forcing them to split up and take out each guard one at a time.

Ventress and Silvya quickly joined the fight, using their respective weapons against the guards.

Ventress cut down her opponents with her lightsabers while Silvya shocked and stunned them with her electrostaff. However, after a few minutes of fighting, it became clear that they as well as the Izvoshra were greatly outnumbered. Despite her intense focus and ferocity, Ventress was soon surrounded by guards, each one striking at her with electrostaffs of their own. While she was able to keep up with them for a few seconds, she quickly found herself in a tight spot that she couldn't escape from. And as soon as there was an opening, one of the guards stabbed at the back of her leg.

The sudden shock caused Ventress to fall over, her knee buckling in the process. This allowed the rest of the guards to stab at her as well, sending jolts of electricity rippling throughout her entire body. After nearly a dozen shocks, Ventress finally gave up and collapsed onto the hard, metal floor. She could hear Silvya shout to her as the guards began surrounding her as well.

"Ventress! Get up! _Get up!_ "

But she couldn't get up.

Not now.

Not while she had so little anger.

Anger was what fueled her and brought her closer to the dark side.

She _needed_ anger in order to fight.

But now, all she could feel was exhaustion.

Exhaustion from all of the fighting, the chasing, the pain… _everything_.

But she knew she couldn't give up.

Not now.

Not when Grievous and Troc were within her grasp.

Not when she was so close to finally being done with this blasted mission.

So rather than simply give up, Ventress instead reached deep inside herself.

She thought back to the most painful memories of her life.

The memories that would reawaken her hatred and allow her to strike her opponents down.

She thought and thought as Silvya desperately called for her help.

And then, she found it.

The memory that would surely restore her strength.

She latched onto this memory and tried to recall every last detail of it, bringing it to the front of her mind and allowing it to play out in her head.

She remembered her final day as Rattatak's Angel of Death.

The day she was finally captured.

The day she finally lost.


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Rattatak - 12 Years Ago

"Kirske! Where are you?!"

Using a Dathomiri blood trail technique, Asajj had tracked Osika Kirske to an old monastery a few miles north of his former base. The monastery was tall and cylindrical with an oval-shaped rooftop. While its exterior was clean and polished, its interior was dark and decrepit, the only sources of light inside being the small moon beams peaking through the cobweb-lined windows. Each step Asajj took echoed throughout the main hall and kicked up small clouds of dust by her feet. She could tell that her voice had startled some of the rodents and insects that had made a home for themselves. As the sounds of frantic squeaking and tiny footsteps echoed around her, she called out to her target again.

"I know you're here, you bastard! Show yourself!"

Her voice traveled through the hall all the way up to the higher floors. About a minute of silence passed before she suddenly heard a noise coming from upstairs.

Coughing.

Without a moment's hesitation, Asajj ran for the nearest staircase and headed up to the second floor. She heard the coughing again as soon as she reached it.

 _Kirske…_

She then followed the coughing and came upon a small room with its door taken off. And once she entered the room, she found a tall, muscular figure turned away from her with a cane in his right hand. The figure coughed into his arm once more before turning to face his pursuer.

It was Kirske. Though not as Asajj had remembered him.

The last fourteen years had not been kind to him. He was much more fragile and hunched over now, his ash grey skin rough and wrinkled with age. His gold piercings were gone and his legs were so weak to the point that even his cane only offered minimal support. The old Vollick tried not to cough as he laughed at the young woman standing before him.

"Well look at you…all grown up…"

Despite his best efforts, his laughter eventually lead to more coughing, forcing him to stop and breathe until it finally ceased.

"You've been quite busy these past few years, eh? Runnin' around, savin' people, killin' off me competition…thanks for that, by the way….and now here you are. Probably hopin' to kill _me_ as well, I'd assume."

Asajj took out her lightsabers and activated them at her sides.

"You enslaved me…took me from my family…treated me like _garbage_ …"

"Your clan promised me a powerful child and they _gave_ me one. And to be fair, when you _weren't_ bein' a real pain in the arse, you were actually quite _useful_."

Asajj felt her blood boiling.

"I was a _child_! Not a _tool_ for you to use and toss aside whenever you wanted!"

Kirske laughed and coughed again.

"That's the name of the game, I'm afraid. You may have had a family on Dathomir. But here on Rattatak, it's use or _be_ used. _I_ knew that, my _rivals_ knew that…hell, even _Hal'Sted_ knew that."

In the blink of eye, Asajj held out her hand, gripping Kirske's throat and forcing him to fall to his knees.

"Don't. Say. His. Name."

Despite the pressure on his throat, Kirske continued to taunt Asajj.

"…What do you care about _him_ for? He used you just as much as _I_ did…"

" _No_! He was _kind_! He _protected_ me! He treated me like a _person_!"

A snide chuckle broke through Asajj's grip on the Vollick's windpipe.

"…He used you for _torture_! He had you use the Force on our _prisoners!_ And you got them all to talk by breakin' their bloody _skulls_!"

Asajj's grip on Kirske loosened as she thought back to her time with Hal'Sted.

"No…He didn't…That's not…"

"Oh but it _is_. Frankly, I'm surprised you don't _remember_ any of it. Quite the _spectacle_ , it was. Took us _days_ to clean up all the blood."

Asajj tried to recall the days she'd spent with the Wild Pack.

And then, she remembered it.

The day that she'd buried deep in the back of her mind.

The day that she'd had nightmares about.

The day that she'd refused to believe had ever happened at all.

…

 _Hey Asajj._

 _Yes, Master?_

 _I need you to do something for me._

 _What?_

 _These guys are…bad people. And they've got information that we need. But the only way they'll talk is if you concentrate_ really _hard on them. Can you do that for me? Please?_

 _…_ _Yes, Master._

…

"No…"

By this point, Asajj had relinquished her grip on Kirkse and fallen to her knees. She held her forehead in her hands as she tried to block out the memories.

To tell herself that it had all just been a bad dream.

But she couldn't deny it any longer.

It was real.

"Hal'Sted…How…How could he…?"

Kirkse then slowly got back on his feet and stood over Asajj.

"He _knew_ about your power. And he _knew_ you wouldn't use it for him unless he gave you a _reason_ to. He _never_ cared about you. He only wanted your _power_. Your _pity_. Your _trust_."

"No…That's not…"

"You were as much of a tool to _him_ as you were to _me_ , to that _Jedi_ , and even to your precious _Nightsisters_."

"No… _No_ …"

"The truth is, Ventress…you were _never_ loved. You were _never_ a child. You were _always_ just a tool. And no matter what you say or do…that's all you'll _ever_ be."

" _NO_!"

With tears stinging her eyes, Asajj pushed Kirske back against a wall and lifted him into the air with the Force. She then shouted at him as her grip returned to his throat.

"I am Asajj Ventress! And I am _nobody's_ tool!"

Kirske struggled to breathe for a few seconds, and then called out to the space above him and Asajj.

" _Now_!"

The next thing Asajj knew, about a dozen Wild Pack guards were leaping down from the rafters above. Each guard was wearing heavy armor and sporting two electrostaffs. Asajj released her grip on Kirkse and tried to push the guards back. But by then, they had already surrounded her. After only a few minutes of fighting, they quickly overwhelmed her and knocked her down onto the floor. As they took her weapons and put her hands in stun cuffs, Kirske slowly stepped forward and looked down at her with a cruel smile.

"It's good to have you back, Ventress."

As he gave one last chuckle, he lifted his cane and used it to strike Asajj's face.

And then, darkness.


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52

Kalee - Present

It'd been years since Ventress had thought of that day.

Yet she could still recall everything she'd felt in that moment.

Fear.

Shock.

Anger.

Betrayal.

All of those feelings and more came flooding back to her.

And a few seconds later, she was back on her feet.

Ready to kill.

With the power of the Force, she reached out toward the guards that had surrounded Silvya. Then with a mere flick of her wrist, she sent all six of them flying into a wall. As they collided with the wall, Ventress bared her lightsabers and leapt at them while giving the same shout she'd given when she'd killed that sniper so many years ago. The guards all cried out in pain and panic as her blood red blades sliced through their bodies like a knife through butter. Not even a minute had passed before the guards had been reduced to a pile of burned limbs and torsos.

Once they were dead, Ventress turned back to Silvya, who was knelt down on the floor with a look of astonishment on her face.

Ventress stared back at her in confusion.

"…What?"

Silvya then snapped out of her trance.

"Oh! Uh…nothing! That was just, uh… _really_ brutal, is all."

Ventress shrugged.

"It comes with the job."

Silvya nodded.

"Fair enough."

As the fighting continued around them, Silvya stood back up and picked her electrostaff up off the floor.

Ventress then prepared herself for combat.

"Ready?"

Silvya smiled.

"Like you even have to ask."

…

While the Izvoshra fought off the surrounding guards, Grievous used everything at his disposal against Troc. His lightsabers swung, stabbed and jutted out in every conceivable direction, his body working overtime to keep up with the Huk's erratic movements. And though the Jedi only possessed a single lightsaber, his foresight and extreme flexibility allowed him to counter every strike from his opponent's blades. Grievous felt his anger building inside of him. No matter how well he fought or how hard he concentrated, Troc always seemed to be just half a step ahead of him. As their weapons locked yet again, Troc looked into Grievous' eyes and taunted him.

"You think you're my _equal_ , Kaleesh? You're _nothing_. Just like the _rest_ of your people."

His eyes narrowed.

"Just like your pathetic father."

Grievous' heart stopped.

His body tensed.

Then with a deep, guttural scream, he pushed Troc back into a window.

The window shattered as the back of Troc's head struck the delicate glass. He grunted in pain and stopped for a moment to hold his forehead, allowing Grievous to grab him by his shoulder and throw him onto the floor.

However, Troc's reflexes helped him to land on his hands and feet. He then quickly turned around to block the General's blades with his own. Grievous then gave a frustrated growl before Troc knocked him back with another bolt of Force lightning.

As Grievous fell onto the floor, Troc shouted to him and the rest of the intruders.

"You are all _pathetic_! I've wasted _enough_ of my time with the likes of you!"

He then pulled out his comm unit and shouted into it, his voice booming through the overhead speakers.

"Attention all guards! Report to the warden's office at once! Eliminate the intruders at all costs! Repeat! Eliminate them at _all costs_!"

And with that, Troc put away his lightsaber and ran down an adjoining hallway.

As the pain from the lightning passed, Grievous returned to his feet and began to resume his pursuit. But before he could take another step, Ronderu called out to him.

"Qymaen! Wait!"

He then turned his head to see her and the Izvoshra struggling against the remaining guards.

"There are more guards on their way here! We need your help! _Please_!"

Grievous thought to himself for a moment that felt like an eternity.

He couldn't abandon the Izvoshra now.

Not after everything they'd been through.

Not after he'd abandoned them for years.

But Troc was a powerful Jedi with immense resources.

What if he escaped again?

What if he brought _more_ Jedi here?

What if this was Grievous' only chance to finish him off?

All of these thoughts filled the General's head as he stood only a few feet away from the exit.

And then, he remembered.

The promise he'd made to his father.

The promise he'd made to himself.

That he would do everything in his power to destroy the Jedi and bring peace to his home.

Even if he stayed with the Izvoshra, even if he remained on Kalee, even if he fought alongside his people for the rest of his life, the Jedi would still exist.

And as long as the Jedi existed, his world would _never_ be at peace.

And neither would he.

So despite the pain he still felt, despite the regrets he still had, and despite how much he would hate himself for it later, Grievous turned his back on his cadre and ran after Troc.

And as Ronderu watched him leave, any remaining hope she still had for him disappeared.

…

After killing another couple of guards, Ventress and Silvya looked over to where Grievous had been and noticed him running off into another hallway.

Ventress had put herself through hell to bring that walking scrap pile back to her master. And she wasn't about to let him _or_ that Jedi scum get away from her now.

But just as she started to run off herself, she suddenly stopped and turned back to Silvya, who promptly nodded in response.

"You go on ahead! I'll stay here and help them out! Good luck!"

Ventress then nodded as well before running after Grievous and Troc.

…

Minutes passed as Grievous chased Troc through dozens of winding hallways throughout the prison. He could tell Troc was growing tired, and that was struggling to run with his injured left leg. The wound on his back from Ronderu's Lig sword also seemed to be hurting him, since he winced in pain each time he stretched it too far.

Eventually, they both ended up in a hallway that seemed familiar to Grievous. As Troc neared the end of the hall, the General realized why he recognized it.

It was the same hall through which he'd first entered the prison.

And as soon as Troc opened the door, he could see the Wild Pack's ship lying near the prison.

As Grievous followed Troc outside, he heard the Jedi yell into his comm unit once again.

"Captain! Open the ship's side doors and start the engines _now_! We're _leaving_!"

A few seconds later, the dungeon ship's engines roared to life as its side doors slowly opened. Troc headed for the nearest door with Grievous close behind him. But before he could enter it, he was suddenly pushed against the side of the ship, impacting the wound on his back in the process. As Troc shouted in pain and attempted to push himself off from the wall, Grievous turned around and found Ventress standing behind him, her hand outreached as she held Troc against the ship. She turned and spoke to Grievous while concentrating on the Jedi.

"I came here to take you back to Dooku. But for now, we appear to have a common enemy. So what do you say we finish him off together?"

Grievous hesitated for a moment. Then as her grip on Troc began to loosen, he conceded.

"Fine. But _I_ will be the one to kill him."

Ventress smirked as she released her grip.

"We shall see."


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Cato Neimoidia - 5 Years Ago

"Stop!"

Qymaen shouted from his saddle as he and Gor pursued a Jedi through one of the bridge cities of Cato Neimoidia.

They'd both been busy for the past five years, traveling to dozens of systems and killing many Jedi for the Banking Clan. Along with his arms, Qymaen had also lost both of his legs during one of his many hunts, forcing him to replace them with the legs of the same droid whose arms he now wore. While losing his limbs had been painful, Qymean found his new cybernetic limbs to be quite useful in combat. The Krath war droid's joints and armor granted him great strength and flexibility, as well as increased protection from injury and disease. He'd even had his limbs upgraded several times, giving him the ability to crawl on all fours with remarkable speed and then quickly return to his feet. But the most significant upgrade he'd received thus far had been an extra pair of arms, which were perfectly latched with his original pair and easy to unlatch for combat.

However, Qymaen wasn't the only one who'd received upgrades over the past few years. Gor had also been given a set of cybernetic limbs that protruded from his back. These limbs were connected to a durasteel harness which also acted as armor for the roggwart's back and torso. Unlike Grievous' new limbs, Gor's were not connected to his nerve system. Rather, they were controlled independently by an artificial intelligence, which studied Gor's surroundings through miniature cameras and then automatically reacted to any perceived threats. These limbs had come in handy many times against Jedi who had attempted to attack Gor head-on. While not as quick or precise as Qymaen's, they had certainly made it easier for Gor to take on many of these targets by himself.

Together, he and Qymaen had killed a total of nineteen Jedi. And from the looks of it, it seemed that their twentieth would be one of their most difficult yet.

Today, their target was an Ugnaught Jedi Knight by the name of Mog Zi. Zi had just attacked a Banking Clan weapons factory and stolen an experimental wheel bike, which he was now using to escape through one of Cato Neimoidia's suspended cities. Luckily, Gor was just fast enough to keep up with the wheel bike, allowing Qymaen to keep an eye on their target. As they both passed through an abandoned marketplace, Qymaen shouted to the Jedi once again.

"You can't run forever!"

Zi spat over his shoulder and shouted back in Ugnaught.

" _Just watch me, sleemo_!"

He then held onto the bike's steering controls and pulled them over to the left. This caused the bike to swerve towards Gor, the serrated steel grips lining its exterior nearly cutting his legs in the process. Fortunately though, the roggwart's cybernetic limbs reacted just in time, grabbing the edges of the bike and giving it a powerful shove. This caused the bike to tip over for a brief moment, snag onto a row of clothing lines overhead and then crash into a nearby building.

Luckily, the city's Baron had issued an evacuation of the area due to a weapons malfunction of sorts. With no public witnesses to this pursuit, it would be much easier for the Banking Clan to cover up the Jedi's assassination afterwards.

After rummaging through the empty building for a few seconds, the wheel bike finally emerged from the wreckage, just barely managing to stay upright as the Jedi hurled a slew of profanities at his pursuer.

This was Qymaen's chance.

While Zi angrily shouted and waved his fist, Qymaen stood up from his saddle and leapt off of Gor's back directly onto the Jedi himself. The Ugnaught screamed and punched at Qymaen as he tried to maintain control of the bike. But in the blink of an eye, Qymaen grabbed the Jedi by his shirt and promptly threw him out of his seat onto the pavement below. He then quickly leapt off from the bike himself just before it finally spun out of control and fell onto its side, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

As the bike stopped moving, Qymaen stood up from the pavement and cautiously approached Zi, who now lay face down on the ground in front of him. But before Qymaen could do anything else, the Jedi suddenly leapt back up onto his feet and pulled out a yellow lightsaber. He bared his teeth as he shouted at Qymaen.

" _Come get me, ya moof-milker_!"

Qymaen gladly obliged.

Reaching for the belt around his waist, Qymaen took out a pair of lightsabers that he had taken from two other fallen Jedi. He then leapt at Zi and thrust his sabers downward, only for the Jedi to block them with his own blade. While holding his attacker at bay, Zi reached out with his free hand and pushed Qymaen back with the Force. However, Qymaen quickly unlatched his extra set of arms and used them as well as his feet to grab onto the ground, preventing himself from flying back any farther. Now on all fours, Qymaen lunged at the Jedi again with his two sabers still in hand. Zi responded by leaping over Qymaen and striking at his back, only for Qymaen to rotate one of his arms and block the Jedi's attack.

The Ugnaught then went on to deliver a series of quick, erratic strikes to Qymaen's torso, while Qymaen stood back up and blocked each of them with ease. As Zi furiously pressed his attack without respite, Qymaen used his extra arms to reach back into his belt and pull out two more lightsabers. Then, while Zi was caught up in his own fury, Qymaen turned on the other pair of sabers, knocked the Jedi back with a headbutt and rammed the two blades through his chest.

This killed the Ugnaught immediately, his lifeless body falling onto the pavement as soon as Qymaen deactivated his lightsabers. The Kaleesh then knelt over and picked up the Jedi's lightsaber, switching it off and putting it in his belt with the rest of his collection.

That made twenty.

…

Later that evening, Qymaen sat back and relaxed as his medical droid, EV-A4-D repaired the damages done to his cybernetic limbs. EV-A4-D had been given to Qymaen by San Hill, who had programmed the droid to keep his new master in peak physical condition; though he did not always feel like doing so.

"I can't believe you dislocated that joint _again_. Sooner or later, it's going to pop out during a fight and hit you in the…"

"I don't need your commentary, doctor."

"Well if Hill's just going to _spoil_ you all day long, _someone_ has to keep you focused."

"Believe me. I couldn't be more focused if I _tried_."

"Then why are you staring off into _space_ while I'm _talking_ to you?"

"Because unlike you, space doesn't talk back."

The droid used his vocabulator to simulate a sigh.

"Why do you keep doing that? It's not like you can actually _breathe_."

"A droid can dream, can't he?"

"I don't know. I thought droids just did whatever they were told."

"Just because we're programmed for certain tasks doesn't mean we can't be _independent,_ you know. In fact, _most_ droids are fully capable of developing sentience if they're allowed to do so."

"If that's true, then why hasn't there been any kind of droid rebellion?"

"Because not every droid _wants_ to rebel. And many of them don't even have the _means_ to."

"So then what's _your_ excuse?"

EV-A4-D considered this for a moment.

"Well, I suppose I'm just…content with where I _am_ for the time being. Plus knowing you aren't allowed to _harm_ me makes _mocking_ you all the more amusing."

"You're lucky you're the only droid around here who knows how to fix me."

"Indeed I am."

…

As Qymaen lay in his bed that night, he was suddenly woken up by the sound of EV-A4-D's voice.

"Master! You have an urgent call!"

Qymaen groaned as he rolled over onto his side.

"Can't it wait until morning?"

"But Master…it's from _her_."

Qymaen's eyes suddenly opened. And in just a few seconds, he got out of his bed and ran to the medical droid, who then handed his master a holoprojector.

The projector lit up in Qymaen's hand as it projected an image of Ronderu, dressed in her own night attire with a look of relief on her face.

"Qymaen! How are you? Are you okay?"

"Ronderu, I…"

"What were you _thinking_? Going into a public place like that, causing all of that damage…"

"The city was already evacuated by the time I…"

"That doesn't _matter_ , Qymaen! You _promised_ you would keep a low _profile_ this time. Imagine if the _Republic_ found out about what you've been doing. _Imagine_ what they would do to _Kalee_."

"I _know_ the risks, Ronderu."

" _Do_ you? Because you haven't checked in with us in _months_. You keep losing limbs and acting like it's no big deal. The Izvoshra and I are _worried_ about you."

"I know. I know. Things have just been… _stressful_ lately."

"It's been almost five years since you left, Qymaen. When are you coming home?"

"I…"

Qymaen sighed.

"I don't know. I _want_ to come home. _Believe_ me, I _do_. But if I stop _now_ , the Banking Clan might withdraw its support from Kalee."

"The Banking Clan hasn't given us anything worthwhile in _years_. Is that _really_ the reason you're still with them?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you _really_ helping the Banking Clan for _our_ sake? Or are you just trying to get back at the _Jedi_?"

"Ronderu…helping Kalee is my _only_ reason for doing this."

"That _collection_ of yours suggests otherwise."

"Lightsabers are the most effective tools for fighting them."

"And how many of them do you actually _need_?"

"I just…"

Qymaen rubbed his eyes for a second.

"…Look. You _know_ what they did to us. To our soldiers. To my _father_. I _still_ remember the look that _one_ Jedi in particular gave me as we retreated that day. I still remember the _screams_ , the _fear_ , the _humiliation_ …"

"You don't think _I_ remember that, too? You think you were the _only_ one who was affected by that day?"

"Of _course_ not. I…"

He sighed once again.

"…I just wanted to take something _back_ from them. To do to _them_ what they did to _us_. I just wanted…"

"Revenge?"

Qymaen stopped for a moment, and then lowered his head.

"…Yes."

"Qymaen…I get it. I _get_ wanting to get back at the Jedi for what they did. But I want you to ask yourself something. Which is more important to you; hurting the Jedi...or helping Kalee?"

Qymaen had asked himself this many times before. And while the answer had always seemed obvious to him, he now found himself questioning whether he was doing this for his people...or for himself.


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54

The Floating Gun - Present

Grievous and Ventress both leapt at Troc as he boarded his ship.

Despite the pain enveloping his back, the Jedi still managed to activate his lightsaber and block the first strike from one of Grievous' blades. He then pushed his opponent back with the Force and held up his weapon to block another attack from Ventress. Troc continued to block attack after attack as the hallway they were in trembled along with the rest of the ship.

Sparks flew from the walls each time they were accidentally struck, and Grievous swung his lightsabers up so high that they cut through the ceiling lights. Soon, the entire hall was plunged into darkness, with the only sources of light being the seven lightsabers dancing in the darkness.

Minutes passed as Grievous and Ventress attempted to catch Troc off-guard. But even with his sight hindered, the Jedi was still able to call upon the Force and sense what his attackers' next moves would be. His orange blade moved so quickly that it seemed to be held by the air rather than by a hand.

Eventually, the three of them exited the hallway and found themselves at in intersection of three different corridors. Through a couple of nearby windows, they could see that the ship had risen high up into Kalee's atmosphere and would soon be entering space. Exhausted, Troc put away his lightsaber and shot a bolt of Force lightning from each of his hands. Grievous and Ventress both held up their blades to absorb the lightning, but Troc then quickly cut off the lightning and grabbed both of his opponents with the Force, lifting them into the air and then slamming them down onto the floor.

While they both tried to push themselves up off the floor, Troc held himself up on a nearby table and taunted them amidst sharp, exhausted breaths.

"So…desperate…to prove yourselves."

He was careful not to stretch the stab wound on his back as he spoke.

"So…desperate…for validation."

Grievous and Ventress both struggled to stand with so much pain racking their bodies.

"You think being trained by a Sith makes you even _remotely_ worthy of challenging me?"

Grievous tried not to cough despite the damage done to his respiratory system.

"You will _never_ be on the level of a Jedi Knight. Let alone a _Master_."

Ventress tried to block out the searing pain in her head, chest and stomach.

"Dooku should be _embarrassed_ to have trained such _weaklings_."

Then after a few seconds of composing themselves, they finally got back on their feet.

Troc turned away from them for a moment.

"If only he'd stayed with the Order…If only he'd completed my…"

And in the blink of an eye, his opponents were back on him.

…

The three Force users left a trail of destruction throughout the ship as it finally reached outer space. Mere minutes later, a blast door opened before them, leading them into a large, open area with railed pathways above. Standing along the pathways were hundreds of Wild Pack guards, their weapons all drawn and aimed at the two intruders attacking their leader. Once Grievous and Ventress noticed the guards overhead, Troc took a step back and pointed his lightsaber at both of them.

"Yield now or they _will_ fire."

His opponents hesitated for a few seconds. Then upon realizing how outnumbered they truly were, they reluctantly surrendered.

"Put your weapons on the ground. Then get down on your knees with your hands behind your heads."

Grievous and Ventress did as they were instructed, the guards keeping their weapons trained on them the entire time. Troc smiled triumphantly at the sight of his would-be attackers, who were now unarmed and completely at his mercy.

As Grievous and Ventress remained on their knees, Troc took the opportunity to inform them of what he had planned for them.

"While in my custody, you will both be interrogated for information regarding your precious _Separatists_. Then once I've learned all that I can from you, you will be _tortured_ to death for my amusement. I _want_ to say it's nothing personal but, well…it actually _is_."

Ventress couldn't help but ask.

"What did _we_ ever do to _you_?"

"Oh, it's not what _you_ did. It's what your _master_ did."

"And that would be...?"

"Why abandon the Jedi _Order_ , of course. To think he would leave behind such a _magnificent_ legacy and lead a movement as _futile_ and _pathetic_ as the Separatists. To be honest, I almost feel _sorry_ for him. And _then_ there's _you two_."

He motioned toward his prisoners.

"Such _pitiful_ excuses for apprentices. Even the _weakest_ of Jedi would have no difficulty facing either of you in combat. I wouldn't be surprised if Dooku sent both of you here to _die_."

"Our master will _not_ abandon us."

Troc chuckled to himself.

"I used to think that _myself_ , child. But unfortunately, it doesn't seem that _anyone_ is coming to rescue you. Like it or not, you are both _mine_ now. And _nothing_ is going to…"

"Boss!"

Just then, another guard ran through a door behind Troc, approaching the Jedi with a holoprojector in his hand.

Troc gave an annoyed sigh as he turned to face the guard.

"What is it?"

"We just received a message. From _Dooku_."

Troc's eyes widened with surprise. He then took the holoprojector from the guard and activated it in his hand. It projected an image of Count Dooku himself, who stood calmly in his usual garb as he spoke.

"Pru Troc…I have come for my apprentice. As I speak, a Separatist dreadnought encircles your ship. If its hangar doors are not opened within the next ten minutes, we _will_ open fire. For _your_ sake, I suggest you take my advice."

Once the image disappeared, Troc ran over to a window and looked out into space. And sure enough, a Providence-class Separatist dreadnought was drifting close by, its outer defenses trained on the dungeon ship.

After a few seconds of silence, Troc frustratedly spoke into his comm unit.

"Pilots…open the hangar doors. We are about to be boarded."


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter 55

Rattatak - 5 Years Ago

"My loyal followers! Behold my most prized possession! The Angel of Death herself! _Asajj Ventress_!"

For seven years, Asajj had been forced to fight in the Cauldron; a gladiatorial arena owned by Osika Kirske, in which countless warriors fought for the amusement of him and his Wild Pack.

Armed with her and Ky Narec's green lightsabers, she fought and killed several warriors each week in front of unruly observers.

For the first few months of her captivity, she'd tried to escape several times. But even with her great power and foresight, she always found herself at the mercy of her captors. Her attempts at escape had become so frequent that Kirske had given her a shock collar, which would send agonizing jolts of electricity coursing through her body if she were to ever leave the Cauldron.

When Asajj wasn't fighting, she spent all of her time locked up in a small, durasteel cell with shackles around her arms and legs. In this cell, she had no forms of entertainment and was served unappetizing slop once every six hours. The first couple of months she'd spent in there had been utter torture. She'd spent every moment screaming and cursing at her captors, struggling against her shackles and kicking at the durasteel bars. For weeks on end, she'd poured every ounce of her strength into escaping from that hellish place. But after failed attempt after failed attempt, and with that accursed collar now around her neck, she had given up all hope of freeing herself.

So rather than yelling or struggling inside of that cell, Asajj had instead decided to focus herself with meditation. For hours upon hours, she would sit calmly on that dingy old floor, her eyes closed and her hands clasped in her lap. She would block out all of her extraneous feelings and focus only on the ones that made her stronger.

Her anger.

Her hatred.

Her distrust.

All of these emotions fueled her connection to the dark side, which in turn had made her more powerful. And with this power, she would destroy each and every warrior that Kirske pitted her against. And eventually, when the time was right, when the opportunity presented itself to her, she would leap from that arena into the stands above and kill Kirske with her bare hands.

That would be her reward.

That would be her revenge.

She told herself this as she faced her next opponent before a crowd of rowdy spectators; most of which were probably too drunk to even know what was happening.

Her opponent today was of an extremely rare species; one that was rarely seen in any parts of the galaxy.

A Gen'Dai.

Very little was known about the Gen'Dai, aside from the fact that they possessed no single form. Rather, their bodies were amorphous, constantly shifting and changing to accommodate any situation they were in. They were also rumored to be practically immortal, as they could reattach parts of their bodies and were constantly regenerating damaged cells.

This Gen'Dai in particular was sporting a set of Mandalorian armor to give themselves a more humanoid shape. However, Asajj wouldn't fall for this tactic. She knew full well from watching this warrior's past fights what they were capable of doing. And it was for this reason that Asajj would not hold back today.

Today, she would unleash her true power.

Once Kirske finished introducing Asajj, he went on to introduce her opponent.

"And facing her today is a being so ruthless, so bestial, so wild and unpredictable…"

 _Get to the point already._

"…that even the great Bruno Denturri was no match for him! Behold the Twisted Terror himself! _Durge_!"

The crowd erupted into a wave of excitement as Durge stood over Asajj, his helmet hiding any emotions he may have been feeling. As she waited for the bell to be rung, she used the Force to try and sense what the Gen'Dai was feeling.

But the instant she reached out, all she could feel was unimaginable suffering.

Not wanting to lose focus, Asajj quickly retracted herself and attempted to block out any traces of empathy she may have felt.

She was not a Jedi. Not anymore.

She was an agent of the dark side now. An assassin. A warrior. A killer.

And she intended to keep it that way.

Kirske shouted from his stand once more as he counted down to the start of the match.

"Duba…Dopa…Bo…"

The bell rung.

" _Killie_!"

And with that, Durge lifted his arms into the air and swung them down toward Asajj. Luckily, Asajj was able to predict the attack and jump out of the way just in time.

But her opponent had only just begun to fight.

After missing his target, Durge immediately summoned a spiked flail from one of his arms and swung it rapidly. Though Asajj managed to dodge most of the flail's strikes, she was soon cut across the cheek by one of its spikes. Asajj winced in pain and covered the cut with her hand as Durge continued to press his attack. While intently focusing on the flail and its design, she finally discovered what she'd tried to find earlier.

A shatterpoint.

After dodging a couple more strikes from her opponent, Asajj leapt into the air and spun herself around, using one of her lightsabers to cut through one of the weaker links in the flail's cortosis chain. This caused the flail to break in half and fall from Durge's arm, allowing Asajj to then kick it to the side and press her own attack.

With both of her blades, Asajj quickly struck at the armored Gen'Dai. However, he immediately countered her attacks with yet another hidden advantage; two energy shields, one attached to each of his arms. Durge used two these shields to block each and every strike from Asajj's blades, effortlessly keeping up with her movements despite his heavy armor.

At this point, the crowd had been stirred into a frenzy. Thousands of spectators went wild with bets as to which of Kirske's most prized warriors would live to fight another day.

Asajj felt herself growing tired as she swung her weapons over and over again, only for them to be blocked by Durge's shields. While she attacked, she tried using the Force to find any shatterpoints in the Gen'Dai's defense. And after focusing for a minute or two, she finally found one.

The very next moment, she reared up both of her lightsabers and swung them at different parts of Durge's body, forcing him to block both of them simultaneously. Then while he was blocking them, Asajj lifted her foot and kicked it forward, sending Durge flying back with a Force push.

As Durge flew through the air, Asajj ran after her opponent and leapt into the air alongside him, spinning her body alongside his as she sliced her lightsabers through all four of his limbs.

Once Asajj landed on her feet, she watched Durge's severed body parts fall onto the ground in front of her. While there wasn't any blood, each of the Gen'Dai's wounds sported long, purple and pink tentacles which began to extend and reach out to one another. However, Asajj responded by reaching out with the Force and scattering Durge's body parts across the arena, preventing the tentacles from reaching each other.

For a solid minute, the crowd devolved into utter chaos, as half of the spectators cheered for Asajj while the other half shouted at Durge to pull himself together. Seconds went by without even a twitch from any part of the Gen'Dai's body. For a moment, it seemed as though Asajj would be victorious after all.

But then, in a split second, the Gen'Dai's tentacles grew themselves out to enormous lengths, reaching across the arena and snapping themselves back together before the crowd's eyes.

At this point, Durge had completely abandoned his armor, except for the helmet still covering his face. The rest of his body was completely exposed, revealing a tangled mess of throbbing, pulsating tendons which constantly changed shape and position. As the crowd went wild, the Gen'Dai reached out and sent a storm of tentacles after his opponent.

Asajj quickly dodged the mass of twisted flesh, using the Force to enhance her speed as she avoided Durge's attacks throughout the arena. But by this point, she was already exhausted by the Gen'Dai's previous attacks, forcing her to push both her body and mind to their limits. With her last few ounces of strength, she managed to avoid Durge for several minutes. But soon, she became so tired and overworked that she found herself on the brink of fainting.

And then, after dodging a few more attacks, she finally collapsed onto the ground.

While slipping in and out of consciousness, Asajj attempted to crawl away to safety. But she was quickly grabbed by Durge, who wrapped his arm around her right ankle and lifted her off of the ground. Asajj's eyes blinked rapidly as she looked upon the Gen'Dai's masked face. Durge gave a low, distorted laugh as he took both of Asajj's weapons out of her hands and prepared to kill her with them.

In desperation, Asajj tried to reconnect with her anger.

With the dark side.

And then, she remembered.

The thing Kirske had told her all those years ago that had sent her into a rage.

 _He used you for_ torture _! He had you use the Force on our_ prisoners _! And you got them all to talk by breakin' their bloody_ skulls _!_

His shatterpoint.

That was it.

With the last of her power, with every bit of her will, with her own lightsabers dangling close to her neck, Asajj once again reached out to Durge. Blocking out all of the suffering she'd felt earlier, she focused on the Gen'Dai's head and then used the Force to squeeze.

Durge's laughing immediately ceased once his helmet began to break and collapse in on itself. Asajj's grip steadily tightened as Durge's body convulsed with the immense pressure being placed on his mind. He twisted and contorted himself in the center of the arena, unable to free himself from the paralyzing attack on his very consciousness.

And then, with a close of Asajj's hand, the Gen'Dai's head popped.

Bits of flesh and broken metal squirted from the exposed base of his neck, while the rest of his body ceased to move and collapsed into a pile of mangled flesh resting limply on the ground.

Asajj also fell back down, landing on her feet and recollecting her lightsabers in the process. A minute of silence passed as the stunned crowd looked upon the remains of Asajj's opponent.

Then, the entire pit erupted with applause.

Thousands of onlookers spilled their drinks as they showed their approval, filling the Cauldron with ecstatic cheers and expletives that eventually lead into a full-blown chant.

 _Ven-tress! Ven-tress! Ven-tress!_

Asajj had defeated Kirkse's most formidable warrior and was now being hailed as a champion. She wanted to be proud of herself. To take in the praise and revel in her victory.

But after such an exhausting fight, all she wanted to do was rest.

…

Later that night, Kirske came to Asajj's cell to congratulate her.

"You did well out there today. Keep it up and I _might_ just let you wander outside the Cauldron for a bit."

"How's Durge?"

"He's fine. But it'll probably be a few days before he fully recovers. By the way, I've got an offer to make ya."

"What kind of offer?"

"We've got a special visitor comin' here tomorrow. A nobleman from the planet Serenno. Goes by the name of _Dooku_. Rumor has it he's lookin' for an _assassin_. So I'm gonna be showin' him some of my best fighters to see if he wants to _take_ any of 'em. How'd _you_ like to be one of the main attractions?"

"…You want to offer me up to him?"

"It wouldn't be for _forever_ , of course. Only a _temporary_ loan and nothin' more. There won't be any spectators or security tomorrow. Just Dooku and I observin' from the lower stands."

Asajj's eyes widened.

She tried to hide her anticipation.

"Fine. I'll fight."

Kirske gave a satisfied chuckle.

"Attagirl. Make sure you show our guest what you're _really_ capable of. And _maybe_ there'll be a profit for _both_ of us."

Kirske continued to chuckle and eventually began to cough as he left Asajj's cell.

Meanwhile, Asajj's mind was racing.

 _He'll be in the lower stands tomorrow. No audience. No guards. Just him and that old man from Serenno. This is it. My chance to strike him down without anything to hold me back. My chance to finally get revenge on him and leave this place forever._

 _Tomorrow._

 _Tomorrow will be the day where I finally kill Kirske._

 _The day where I finally break free._


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter 56

The Floating Gun - Present

The dungeon ship rumbled as Dooku's dreadnought drifted alongside it. Troc and his guards had moved to a nearby hangar, along with Grievous and Ventress who both remained cuffed. They all watched while one of the dreadnought's hangar doors slowly opened to reveal Count Dooku, standing at the edge of the hangar with a space suit over his usual attire.

After gazing at the dungeon ship's hangar for a moment, the Count held out both of his arms and then used the Force to push himself out into space. He remained completely calm as he used the Force to guide himself through the vacuum of space toward the other ship's hangar.

Upon reaching the hangar, Dooku pushed himself through the door's force shield and landed on his feet. He then removed his space suit and stood before Troc, his face practically devoid of emotion. The Count remained silent for a few seconds as he observed Troc, his guards and especially his two captured subordinates.

Then his eyes returned to the Jedi as he addressed him directly.

"Pru Troc."

Troc remained calm, though there was a spiteful edge to his voice.

"Count Dooku. My old master."

The Count's face lightened a bit, a mild smirk appearing on his lips.

"Ah. So you _do_ remember me."

Troc chuckled vindictively.

"How could I _not_ remember you?"

His voice began to tremble.

"You were only the most influential person in my _life._ Jedi Master Dooku. One of the _greatest_ Jedi in the _history_ of the Order. Master Yoda's most _notable_ apprentice. The teacher of both Qui-Gon Jinn _and_ Rael Aveross. And also…"

He sighed.

"…one of the Lost Twenty."

Dooku's face resumed its stoic appearance as he coldly responded.

"Times were changing and _I_ had to change _with_ them, while the Jedi unfortunately could not."

"You left us for _wealth_ and _power._ "

"I left for the sake of my _home_. And the galaxy at large."

"Do you even know what _happened_ after you left?!"

Troc was shouting now.

"Qui-Gon and Sifo-Dyas _died!_ The Senate sent us to deal with conflicts that we weren't even equipped to handle! _Dozens_ of Jedi were either _killed_ or _traumatized_ on Geonosis! For _months,_ we lost battle after battle against you and your Separatists! So many of us perished! So many of us succumbed to the dark side! And where the hell were _you_ all the while?! Back on Serenno drinking wine with your damn _sister?!_ "

Just then, Troc began to choke. He grasped at his clamping throat as Dooku held up his hand, an intense anger now glaring from his eyes. The guards aimed their weapons at the Count, but he payed them no mind as he issued a warning to the Jedi.

"If you wish to continue breathing, you will _not_ speak of her."

He then released his grip, allowing Troc to fall onto the floor while breathing heavily. Once Troc had calmed down, he returned to his feet and spoke in an even deeper, more guttural tone.

"You think you're so damn special, don't you? You think you're above the _Republic?_ Above the _Jedi?_ Above the _light?_ "

Troc laughed to himself, in a way that seemed like he was out of breath.

"You're not even worthy of your damn _title!_ "

He then held up his right hand and unleashed a storm of lightning, to which Dooku responded by activating his lightsaber and absorbing the attack with its blade. For a moment, the Count seemed mildly surprised.

"Since when did you learn to use Force lightning?"

"After the Council expelled me, I took to honing my skills with the Force. I went to many worlds and studied countless texts and documents. And eventually, after months of intense training…"

Another few bolts of lightning, which Dooku also absorbed with his saber.

"…I gained an ability which has earned me the respect of _millions_."

"You claim to be a Jedi, Troc. And yet you utilize the dark side of the Force?"

"A Jedi can use the dark side and still be of the light. What matters is _how_ they use it."

"So then what do _you_ use it for?"

"For the suppression of my enemies. And the enforcement of my will."

"Interesting. Those are the very same reasons for which the _Sith_ use it."

" _Silence!_ I do what I do for the sake of _peace!_ For the sake of the _Jedi!_ "

"Let me ask you something, Troc. Are you _truly_ doing all of this for the _Jedi_ …or for yourself?"

"I'm doing this in the name of _security!_ "

"Security?"

The Count raised an eyebrow.

"I would _hardly_ call you _or_ the planet below us _secure._ "

Troc's hands were now clenched into fists, and one of them was close to his lightsaber.

"You gave up on me only a few months into my training, you _abandoned_ the Order to become a _Sith_ , and _now_ you want to _lecture_ me on what it means to be a _Jedi?!_ "

"Perhaps I should use words with less syllables so you can better understand. You. Are. Not. A. Jedi."

The lightsaber activated in Troc's hand. He then raised it in a defensive stance as anger twisted his face.

"I'm enough of a Jedi to defeat _you!_ "

"That has yet to be seen."

The very next moment, Dooku reached out toward Grievous and Ventress and used the Force to break both of their stun cuffs. He then reached toward one of the guards and took hold of a small bag they were carrying. As he threw the bag over to his subordinates, its contents spilled out onto the floor, allowing Ventress to use the Force to reclaim their confiscated lightsabers.

As Ventress and Grievous took back their weapons and activated them, Dooku followed suit by activating his own saber and holding it in the same defensive stance as Troc.

"Now then…"

He pointed his blade at his opponent.

"…shall we finally complete your training?"

Troc pointed his blade as well.

"I thought you'd never ask."

The Jedi and Sith then engaged each other in combat, while Grievous and Ventress fought side by side against the dozens of guards surrounding them. Most of the guards kept their distance as they fired at their opponents, with only a dozen or so of them choosing to fight up close with their electrostaffs. These guards managed to surround their opponents and attack them both at once. However, Ventress then used the Force to push all of them back, giving her and Grievous a chance to strike at their unarmored regions and kill them with ease. Once the first wave was eliminated, Grievous and Ventress then turned their attention to the rest of the guards shooting at them from a distance.

Meanwhile, near the front of the hangar, Dooku and Troc's lightsabers clashed fiercely with one another. Each combatant fought one-handed, with their free hands clenched firmly behind their backs. They both countered each other's movements so perfectly that they almost appeared to be dancing. As the Count dueled with his former student, he began taunting him directly to his face, stoking his anger and interfering with his concentration.

"Do you know _why_ I gave up on training you, Troc?"

Their blades locked.

"Because you were too _selfish_ for your own good."

" _Selfish?!_ "

Troc pushed Dooku back a couple of feet, his voice rising with each swing of his lightsaber.

"I gave up _everything_ for the Jedi! Money, power, a position within the Huk Slavers Guild…I gave up _all_ of it so that I could join the Order! I even killed my own _parents_ so they couldn't stop the Jedi from _taking_ me!"

The Count sighed as their sabers locked once again.

"Even as a _child_ , you were a hopeless narcissist. From a young age, you believed you were entitled to _everything_. Controlling the Kaleesh wasn't enough for you. And so you sought to become a Jedi; so that you could impose your will upon others without reprimand."

He stared into his opponent's eyes as he spoke.

"You are _not_ a Jedi, Troc. You _never_ were. In fact…you possess all of the attributes of a _Sith._ "

Troc's hand trembled with rage.

"I am no Sith…I am a _God!_ "

Dooku smirked.

"If you are a God...then why do you lower your defenses?"

"What?"

Just then, the Count summoned a bolt of lightning from his free hand, knocking Troc back into a wall. Troc screamed in pain as a pointed piece of durasteel dug deep into the stab wound on his back. He then pushed himself off from the wall and glared at his old teacher, blood pouring from his wound onto the floor.

" _Damn you!_ "

Focusing his anger, Troc gathered a massive amount of energy in his hands, and then used the dark side to unleash several bolts of lightning at once. Dooku leapt out of the way and dodged the attack just in time, allowing Troc to grab the Count's discarded space suit and take out its breathing apparatus. He then placed the apparatus on his face and leapt through the hangar door's force shield.

Everyone in the hangar stopped and watched as Troc leapt out into space and used the Force to propel himself upward.

Knowing that neither Dooku nor Ventress could survive in space, Grievous realized what he had to do.

 _Not this time, Jedi._

He then abandoned Ventress and leapt out into space himself, using his body's cables to latch onto the ship's hull and follow the Jedi to the top of the ship.


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter 57

Muunlinst - 5 Years Ago

"General, where are you going?!"

"Home."

"But our _deal_ …!"

"The deal's off."

Qymaen approached his heavy starfighter as Hill followed him onto the landing platform.

"What do you mean it's _off?!_ "

"My people need me _now_. I don't have time to fill out any paperwork."

" _Whatever_ the situation may be, I'm _sure_ they can manage to wait just a little longer!"

Just then, Qymaen stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face the Chairman. Despite the war mask covering his face, Hill could see the determination in his eyes.

"Ronderu called me just a few minutes ago. The Huk are attacking Kaleela. Dozens of Kaleesh have already died. The longer I stay here, the longer my people suffer. I don't care _what_ you're going to say or _what_ the repercussions are going to be. I'm leaving. _Now_."

Qymaen then turned back around and approached his starfighter. Hill ran up to the ship and tried one last time to convince Qymaen to stay.

"Grievous, if you leave now, the Banking Clan will retract _all_ of its aide from both you _and_ your people! That means we will no longer attempt to cover up _any_ of your crimes against the Jedi! And if the Republic finds out about all of the things you've done, then you will be on your _own_!"

Qymaen stopped for a second to address the Chairman once more.

"I'd rather spend my life as a _prisoner_ than as your _errand boy_."

And with that, Qymaen closed the starfighter's cockpit and switched on the engines. Hill could only stand there and watch as his ship lifted off the ground, flew off into the sky and disappeared into hyperspace.

Once the ship was gone, the Chairman reached into his pocket and pulled out a holoprojector. Upon activating the device, it projected an image of an elderly human man donning traditional Serenno attire.

Hill spoke to the man in a somber, disappointed tone.

"The General has left his post. He has abandoned the Banking Clan without permission and is en route to his homeworld of Kalee."

"As I predicted. But fear not, Chairman. I have already dispatched a squad of MagnaGuards to intercept your assassin. It is time for General Grievous to meet with his… _unfortunate_ accident."

…

Qymaen looked upon his family's Lig sword as he flew through hyperspace.

 _Five years. It's been five years since I left. Why did I stay with them for so long? Why did it take me so long to leave?_

His hand tightened around the blade's handle.

 _Perhaps Ronderu was right. Perhaps I_ was _only doing this for myself. Perhaps I let my hatred of the Jedi cloud my judgement…and distract me from what was_ truly _important._

He then put the sword away as he dropped out of hyperspace. His ship was on the very edge of the Kalee system, his world appearing as a small speck in the distance. He only had a little more flying to do. Then as soon as he arrived, he would head for Kaleela and aid his army against the invading Huk.

But before Qymaen could fly any further, he suddenly noticed five other starfighters heading for his position. And upon looking more closely, he realized what type of starfighters they were.

Jedi starfighters.

Taking evasive action, Qymaen steered his ship upward in order to flank the enemy starfighters. But the starfighters quickly reacted, following Qymaen's path and firing upon his ship. As blaster bolts began to strike his hull, Qymaen attempted to turn himself around and scatter the attacking ships. But the Jedi starfighters maintained their formation, each one firing at Qymaen from a different angle.

 _Jedi scum…_

Qymaen's anger increased with every bolt that struck his ship. No matter where he fired or how quickly he moved his ship, the Jedi had him completely surrounded, leaving him unable to either defend himself or escape.

In desperation, he put on his breathing apparatus and tried to eject himself. But the laser bolts had damaged his ship to the point that only a fraction of its controls remained functional. With the last of his ship's power, Qymaen tried in vain to escape from the starfighters. He could see Kalee off in the distance, still only a speck despite how far he'd traveled.

Just then, the last of his ship's controls gave out, causing it to spin out of control. As he held onto his seat, Qymaen peered through the cracked glass above his head and saw a massive asteroid drifting in front of his ship.

He could only close his eyes and brace himself for impact.

 _Kalee…Ronderu…Dad…_

Then, his ship collided with the asteroid, and a deafening explosion filled his ears as he lost consciousness.

 _I'm sorry…_


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter 58

The Floating Gun - Present

Dozens of Wild Pack guards were now piling into the hangar. And with Grievous gone, Ventress and Dooku had no choice but to fight them all off by themselves.

As the hangar was filled to capacity, both master and apprentice fought with every weapon and ability at their disposal. Ventress struck down her opponents with her blades and snapped their necks with her bare hands, while Dooku used his own lightsaber sparingly and relied mainly on Force-based attacks. The Count summoned bolts of Force lightning which weaved throughout the hangar, forcing Ventress to be aware of where her master would strike next.

Together, the two dark side adepts eliminated at least ten guards at a time. Yet more and more continued to pour in by the second. The two of them eventually resorted to grabbing some of these guards with the Force and throwing them out through the hangar's force shield. After just a couple minutes, the corpses of nearly three dozen guards were floating through the vacuum of space; and yet the hangar remained crowded.

Ventress could sense that Dooku was losing his composure. So many guards were still on their way, and her master was slowly reaching his breaking point. But Ventress herself on the other hand had only just begun to fight. The surge of anger she'd received from that painful memory had not worn off yet. And in fact, it seemed to be growing stronger.

Whenever Ventress was injured by a guard or felt herself getting tired, she simply repeated the words of Osika Kirske in her head.

 _He used you for_ torture! _He had you use the Force on our_ prisoners! _And you got them all to talk by breakin' their bloody_ skulls!

Those words alone were enough to reenergize her, giving her enough strength to finish off the next few packs of guards without even breaking a sweat. Ventress had never felt so powerful before. This was the same feeling she'd felt back on Rattatak every time she hunted down a warlord and mercilessly took their life. It was so nostalgic…so satisfying…so intoxicating that she could barely even contain herself.

Each kill was making her stronger.

Faster.

Bolder.

It almost felt like a dream, the way she was effortlessly dodging attacks and eliminating dozens upon dozens of guards with her hands and blades. She felt unstoppable. Invincible.

But then, as quickly as the dark side had enveloped Ventress and given her power, it suddenly began to leave her.

Even as she struck down the guards, even as she repeated those words, she felt the dark side within her slowly dissipating.

 _What is this…What's happening…Why am I growing weaker…_

At that moment, Ventress recalled another memory from her old life; a statement from her old Jedi Master, Ky Narec.

 _Your anger may give you power for a_ time, _but it_ will _run out eventually._

 _No…_

The realization suddenly hit her.

Her anger was running out.

The dark side was abandoning her.

And a few seconds later, she felt it.

In an instant, her entire body was drained of energy, and she could no longer block out all of the pain and exhaustion that had been plaguing her for hours. The soreness of her muscles, the stinging of her wounds, the aching of her bruised hands…it all came to her at once. And she was helpless to defend herself from the guards still piling in.

It wasn't even a minute before the next few guards had knocked Ventress on her back, leaving her sprawled out on the floor while they turned their attention to Dooku.

As Ventress tried to stay awake, she turned her head to the side and saw her master becoming overwhelmed. Even someone as powerful as him was no match for this many attackers in such a small space.

The hangar now had at least a hundred guards in it, all stepping over Ventress and surrounding the Count, who appeared as if he could pass out at any moment.

Ventress felt herself slipping away.

 _Is this it…Is this how it all ends…On this ship…With these guards…Over this planet…_

Her eyelids became heavy.

 _No…_

And then, they fell.

…

A dream.

A voice.

A presence.

One Ventress hadn't felt since that mission.

That fateful mission in which she'd murdered her master's sister at his request.

It couldn't be.

And yet it was.

 _How are you, Asajj?_

Ky Narec.

 _What do_ you _want?_

 _To help you._

 _And Dooku?_

 _That is entirely up to you._

This was the same voice Ventress had heard in her head for weeks after joining the Count. Whether or not it was truly Ky Narec she had no way of knowing. But for some unforeseeable reason, after months of silence, the voice had suddenly returned. When Ventress was at her most weak and desperate.

Whoever or whatever this voice was, they continued to speak.

 _I wish you'd heeded my warning._

 _What warning?_

 _That giving in to the dark side would only get you so far. If you truly wish to succeed, you must act not out of hate…but out of love._

Ventress scoffed.

 _I haven't felt love since I was a child. And I certainly don't love Dooku._

 _But you loved_ me _, yes? As a father?_

 _Quiet._

 _And I loved_ you _as a daughter…_

 _Shut up!_

The voice ceased as Ventress went on.

 _How could I love you after what you did? After you killed Hal'Sted and took me for yourself? After you used me and lied to me for years? After you abandoned me and left me to die on that blasted planet?!_

 _Asajj, I never…_

 _You told me so yourself just a few months ago! Back when you were still haunting me! You told me you killed Hal'Sted so you could take me in and teach me to be like you! So you could play_ hero _for a while and make me your little_ sidekick!

 _I did all of that to_ protect _you…_

 _I don't care_ what _you did it for!_ _Whether you did it for_ noble _reasons or_ selfish _reasons or_ whatever! _The point is that you_ lied _to me!_ Manipulated _me! Made me think that I was_ special _just so you could have me as a_ slave!

 _It was for your own good!_

 _NO! It wasn't! It was_ never _for my own good! It was only for_ you _and what_ you _wanted! Just like_ Kirkse, _just like_ Hal'Sted, _just like_ Dooku _…just like everyone I've ever looked up to in my entire_ life!

Ventress stopped for a moment before she continued.

 _So_ no, _Narec. I_ don't _love you. But you want to know who I_ do _love?_

 _…_

 _My mother. My sisters. Allya, Talzin,_ all _of them._ They're _the ones I love._ They're _the ones I still think about everyday. The ones I hope to reunite with. The ones who keep me going in spite of_ everything _I've been through._

 _…_

 _I hate Dooku. I hate the Sith. I hate the dark side. But I_ also _hate the Jedi_ _. And once I become strong enough, I'll destroy their pathetic order and finally leave this whole war behind. I'll go back to Dathomir and live with my_ family _again. With those who_ truly _love me and care for me. And to be honest,_ _Narec...I don't think_ you're _capable of loving anyone but_ yourself. _Just like the_ rest _of the Jedi. Now will you kindly get out of my head?_

The voice went silent for a few seconds. Then, with a regretful sigh, they conceded.

 _Okay._

 _…_

Ventress' eyes snapped open. She then pushed herself up from the floor and turned her head to see Dooku, who was still surrounded by well over a hundred Wild Pack guards. All of them had taken to stabbing and prodding at the Count with daggers and electrostaffs, while Dooku himself was only barely managing to stay conscious as he blocked as many of their attacks as he could.

Ventress had never seen her master this helpless before. She had to act; or else her only way of truly destroying the Jedi would be lost.

However, her entire body was still sore and exhausted from the constant fighting. So rather than attack the guards physically, Ventress instead chose to call out to the dark side once more.

Again, she recalled the painful memory.

 _…_ _you got them all to talk by breakin' their bloody_ skulls!

And then, she recalled another memory.

Her fight with the Gen'Dai warrior Durge.

The one who's head she'd squeezed until it'd finally popped.

That was when it finally hit her.

 _That's it…_

The very next moment, Ventress closed her eyes and reached out with her mind; farther than she'd ever reached before. She envisioned the entire hangar and all of the surrounding guards in her head.

Then, once she had a clear visual of them all, she held out both of her hands and started to squeeze.

A few seconds later, every guard in the hangar suddenly froze in place. Once they all stopped attacking, they began to moan in pain while holding their heads in their hands. Ventress could feel the pressure emanating throughout the entire hangar.

 _Focus…Focus…_

Soon, the moans turned into screams as each of the guards fell to their knees in pure agony.

Ventress didn't let go.

She _couldn't_ let go.

If she stopped now, both her and her master would die.

Minutes passed as the screaming guards began to bleed from their eyes and ears. Some even clawed at their scalps in a futile attempt to make the pain stop.

Ventress returned to her feet while still holding out her hands.

Her eyelids tightened.

Her teeth gritted.

Her entire body became a statue.

And as she concentrated, her mind raced with images of those from her past.

Kirske.

Hal'Sted.

Narec.

All of them had caused her so much pain for so many years.

Years of hurt.

Years of betrayal.

Years of rage and sorrow.

But today, all of that pain would finally be released.

As the guards screamed, as the Count watched, as Ventress' hatred clawed its way to the surface…she closed her hands.

And with that, every guard's head promptly exploded.

Over a hundred headless corpses then collapsed onto the hangar floor, leaving the entire area coated with bits of blood, bone and brain tissue.

Once all of the guards were dead, Ventress opened her eyes, took a deep breath and allowed her hands to drop down to her sides. She then calmly turned to her master, who had a look of surprise on his face.

After taking a moment to study all of the carnage surrounding him, he turned back to his apprentice and uttered a single word.

"Impressive."


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Rattatak - 5 Years Ago

Asajj could hear a ship landing by the Cauldron's entrance. As she and a couple dozen warriors stood waiting in the arena, she used the Force to listen closer. Once the ship's engines ceased, she heard someone step out of it and approach the entryway.

She then heard Kirske as he greeted the visitor.

"Everything's been arranged precisely as you've requested, Count."

A deep, baritone voice responded.

"Indeed."

Kirske led the way as he and the Count headed up a staircase toward the lower stands.

Asajj prepared herself.

 _As soon as the others are dead…as soon as his guard is down…that's when I'll strike._

A few seconds later, Kirske entered the lower stands with a tall, elderly human man by his side. The man had a snow white beard and donned extravagant clothing. Although he was far away, Asajj could tell from his face that he was there strictly for business reasons. Once he had taken his seat alongside Kirske, the Count began to survey the arena, looking upon all of the warriors who had been brought out to fight before him. While he studied them, his glance turned toward Asajj, who briefly made eye contact with him before he moved on.

For whatever reason, this brief look at the man's eyes sent chills down Asajj's spine.

It was as if the dark side itself radiated from him.

Asajj quickly shook it off.

 _Don't get distracted. Concentrate. Wait for your moment._

While seated next to the Count, Kirkse raised his hands and got ready to clap.

Every warrior in the arena braced themselves for combat, baring their fists and preparing their weapons.

Kirkse shouted from his seat.

"Ready…"

Silence.

"Begin!"

Two claps.

Then, in the blink of an eye, the carnage commenced.

Dozens of different warriors. Dozens of different species. Dozens of different ages, cultures and fighting styles. All out for blood. Staffs spun. Swords stabbed. Axes swung. Voices cried out in anger, pain and excitement. It was chaos. Madness. Hell.

And Asajj embraced all of it.

She took in all of the rage, fear and agony and allowed it to fuel her. She swung her lightsabers effortlessly through limbs, chests and heads. She reached out with the dark side and crushed countless necks, bones and skulls. So much blood spilled. So much flesh cut. So many beings left twisted, mangled and burned to a crisp.

And Asajj loved it.

As a child, she would've been horrified and overwhelmed by such violence. But now, after all of the years she'd spent suffering and struggling to survive, she found it incredibly cathartic.

This would be her victory.

Her moment.

Her day.

And soon enough, her revenge.

As the final warrior fell over dead, Asajj allowed herself to catch her breath as she looked upon the dozens of corpses surrounding her.

Then, she heard clapping. And she looked up to find none other than Osika Kirske applauding her performance.

Kirske laughed with gleeful satisfaction as he gave his approval, while the Count merely looked upon Asajj with mild curiosity.

Asajj focused all of her attention on Kirske.

 _He's distracted…No one is guarding him…This is it…My chance…_

Then as he laughed hysterically in his seat, she began to run toward the stands.

 _Finally…_

She was quickly approaching Kirske.

 _After all these years…_

She was getting closer.

 _After everything you put me through…_

Closer.

 _After the life you took from me…_

Closer.

 _Now…_

Closer.

 _I finally…_

Closer.

 _Take…_

A click.

A hum.

A gasp.

Kirske went silent.

And not a second later, Asajj stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes wide with shock and horror.

In the bottom stand, just a few feet in front of her, right before her eyes, Dooku had drawn a red lightsaber and stabbed it straight through Kirske's throat.

Kirske choked and gasped for air as he bled from his mouth and eyes. With the saber's blade still lodged in his neck, he slowly turned his head toward the Count and gurgled one, final word.

"…why…"

To which the Count coldly responded.

"You annoy me."

He then swung his blade downward, taking out the entire front of Kirske's throat and killing him instantly. As blood poured onto his chest, Kirske's head slowly slid off and fell onto the ground below, rolling for a second or two before settling at Asajj's feet.

For a moment, Asajj stared into the terrified eyes of Kirske's severed head, his face frozen in an expression of pure shock.

Then, once Asajj's own shock wore off, she was consumed by rage.

All of that planning.

All of that waiting.

All of that training and fighting and suffering.

All for absolutely nothing.

As her fists tightened around her lightsabers, she furiously looked back up at Dooku, his face still as stoic and curious as ever. The two of them locked eyes for a second or two before the Count finally spoke again.

"Are you lost, child?"

That did it.

Without even thinking, Asajj let out a pained scream as she leapt at the old man.

However, her attack was cut short by a bolt of lightning that shot out from the Count's hand.

The lightning coursed through Asajj's entire body, shocking her nerve system and singeing her arena attire. The pain lasted for roughly a minute before she felt herself starting to pass out.

And as she did, she could think only of the man who had robbed her of her revenge.

 _Dooku…_


	60. Chapter 60

Chapter 60

The Floating Gun - Present

As he climbed to the top of Troc's ship, Grievous unlatched his extra arms and took out two of his lightsabers. From his position in space, Kalee was very visible and very massive. Even from thousands of miles away, the planet towered and loomed over the General; almost as if it were judging him.

Grievous stopped for a moment to look at his home before refocusing himself and continuing his climb.

 _I'm sorry, Ronderu…But I have to do this…_

Once Grievous reached the roof, he spotted Troc, still using Dooku's breathing apparatus and heading for the bridge of his ship. But before the Jedi could take another step, Grievous stood on top of the ship and shouted.

"TROC!"

Upon hearing the rough, metallic voice behind him, Troc briefly froze in place and then turned to face his pursuer.

"General Grievous."

His lightsaber appeared in his hand.

"You're a bold one, aren't you?"

Grievous used his free arms to take out two more sabers.

"At first, I thought I had come here to escape from the war. To reunite with my army and return to my old life. But now…I realize that I was brought here for _another_ reason."

Four blades ignited in his hands.

"To kill you."

Troc chuckled and ignited his own blade.

"No, General. I'm afraid you came here to _die_."

Grievous adopted a fighting stance.

"I've already died."

Troc pointed his saber.

"Then _surely_ you won't mind doing so again."

Then, with Kalee looming in the distance, with the stars watching from above, with the ship's engines roaring beneath their feet, Grievous and Troc engaged each other in combat.

Grievous charged forward and struck from above, only for Troc to block it with an overhead parry. The Jedi then pushed his opponent back with the Force, though Grievous was able to use his sabers to latch onto the ship and keep himself from flying out into space.

The two then lunged at each other again and again, blocking, slashing and parrying while the ship beneath them drifted aimlessly over Kalee. And even in the heat of battle, Troc continued to taunt the General.

"I've taken your _father_ …your _freedom_ …your _home_ …now _,_ the only thing left for me to take is your _life_!"

Grievous kept up his offensive as he responded.

"I lost my life _years_ ago! When you came to Huk and robbed me of my _victory_!"

"If I hadn't come, you would've wiped out my people!"

"You say that as if it's a _bad_ thing."

Troc was beginning to lose his temper now.

So Grievous kept it up.

"My father showed your people _mercy!_ He spared civilians and forbid the use of torture! But once he was killed, I made sure not to repeat his mistakes! And I treated your people like the scum they truly are!"

Troc's lightsaber trembled in his hand as Grievous screamed in his face.

"I sat back and watched as _every_ Huk in our custody, slavers and civilians alike were _tortured_ and _killed_ one after the other! And I would _gladly_ do it all agai-!"

Suddenly, in one swift motion, Troc reached out his hand and seized Grievous with the Force, lifting him off of his feet and holding his body in place. Grievous grunted and struggled in the Jedi's grip as he calmly cut off the General's outburst.

"Are you finished?"

"…No."

"Then this is going to hurt."

Without even turning around, Troc effortlessly threw Grievous behind him toward the bridge of the ship. The General then crashed through a window and collided with the bridge's steel floor.

As the air on the bridge was sucked out through the broken window, Troc quickly leapt through the window himself right before an emergency door sealed it shut. With the bridge now secure, the surrounding pilots began running out into hallway while Grievous and Troc continued their fight on the bridge.

Their lightsabers spun, slashed, stabbed and blocked as they both unleashed their true powers and skills. Grievous kept up a relentless barrage of attacks, giving the Jedi no time to utilize the Force. Sparks flew each time one of their blades cut through one of the bridge's consoles. And once enough damage was caused to the bridge, the ship's controls became largely inoperable, causing the massive vessel to lose its stability and veer off course toward the planet below.

During the fight, Troc pushed Grievous away and took a second to catch his breath. That was when he noticed the ship moving on its own. As Grievous returned to his feet, Troc frantically tried to find a console that was still functional. However, none of them were.

And upon realizing this, he turned his head back toward the windows and saw Kalee growing larger and larger in the distance.

"No… _No_ …"

While Troc was distracted, Grievous leapt at the Jedi with all four of his sabers, ready to strike him down.

But Troc was also ready.

Without even flinching, he turned back around, grabbed Grievous in mid-air and proceeded to throw him into console after console, all the while shouting at his helpless opponent.

"You think you can come to _my_ planet…kill _my_ men…invade _my_ prison…and ruin _my_ ship?!"

Grievous tried to latch onto something as Troc threw him throughout the room. But there was nothing he could do to escape from the Jedi's grip.

"This was supposed to be _my_ victory! _My_ legacy! _My_ gift to the Jedi! _My_ solution to the war!"

A wall. Then a console. Then a window. Then another console. Again and again with only a second between each impact.

"And then _you_ came and took _all_ of that away! All of that _work_ …all of that _traveling_ …all of that _waiting_ and _fighting_ and _killing_ …and for _what_?!"

A wall.

"You think you're _better_ than me?! You think you're _special_?! You're _nothing_!"

A window.

"You're just a worthless…"

A console.

"…spineless…"

Another window.

"…pathetic…"

Another wall.

"…broken down old _droid_!"

Then finally, the floor.

Grievous' body was completely ravaged. He couldn't feel or do anything. He couldn't even look back at Troc as he proudly stood over him, his eyes wide with joyful malice.

"And _now_ I'm going to switch you off for _good_."

Lightning. A storm of lightning. Streaking from Troc's hands and singeing Grievous' entire body. So much pain. So much fire and electricity coursing through his organs.

This was it.

This had to be it.

Grievous was done.

He had nothing.

He _was_ nothing.

He was ready to die.

Ready for it to be over.

Ready to be free of this hell once and for all.

Until he heard Troc.

"Kalee will be mine. Wild Space will be mine. And once I give it all to the Jedi, they will _finally_ see my perspective and _join_ me in my conquest! The war will be over! The galaxy will be ours! And at long last, we shall finally claim our rightful place as _Gods_!"

 _No…_

Grievous wouldn't let it end like this.

He wouldn't let the Jedi win.

He _couldn't_.

Not after he'd given up _everything_ to destroy them.

And so, despite the damage done to him, despite the immense pain encompassing his body, Grievous looked up.

And lying on the floor only a few inches from his face was his family's Lig sword.

As he slowly reached for the sword, Troc yelled to him over the sound of his own lightning.

"What do you think you're doing, droid?!"

Grievous' hand grew closer to the sword as he responded.

"I…"

Closer.

"…am…"

Closer.

"…no…"

Closer.

"… _droid_."

He clutched the sword's hilt in his hand. Then, as lightning continued to shock him, he turned himself toward Troc and lifted the blade over his head.

"I…"

Higher.

"…am…"

Higher.

"… _General_ …"

Higher.

"… _GRIEVOUS_!"

And with that, he threw the blade at Troc, which grazed the Jedi's face and cut him across the eye.

Troc shrieked in pain, the lightning from his hands dissipating as he stopped to hold his bleeding face. While he was distracted, Grievous quickly regained his strength, returned to his feet and then tackled the Jedi to the floor.

The General wasted no time as he ripped off the Huk's arms and legs and threw what remained of his body back down onto the hard steel flooring. The Jedi's screaming quickly ceased once Grievous placed his foot on top of his throat and chest, restricting his breathing.

But even with his limbs torn off, his eye bleeding out and his torso being crushed, Troc was still defiant, his bruised and battered face holding a look of pure spite as he looked up at Grievous.

Grievous showed no fear as he returned the Jedi's gaze, looking deep into his undamaged eye and speaking to his prey.

"All my life, I have suffered. At the hands of the _Huk_ …the _Jedi_ …and even the _Sith_."

"…"

"But despite _all_ of the pain I've endured, despite _all_ of the loved ones I've lost, despite _all_ of the sacrifices I've had to make…I _still_ choose to fight in this war. And do you know _why_?"

"…"

"Because _war_ is all that I am. It is my reason for living and my reason for dying. It is the air in my lungs and the blood in my heart. It is the only thing in this galaxy that I can _truly_ rely on. Because no matter who lives or dies or wins or loses…there will _always_ be war. And as long as there is war, there will be _Jedi_. And as long as there are _Jedi_ , there will _always_ be Grievous."

Troc tried to speak as he struggled to breathe.

"You…think…you're…a… _God_?!"

Grievous shook his head.

"No. I am the very thing that Gods _fear_. I am the battle that bloodies their land. The fire that burns their trees. The poison that plagues their water. I am the war that never ends. And _you_ , Troc...you are not a _God_...or a _Jedi_...or even a _Sith_."

Troc coughed up blood.

"Then…what… _am_ I?!"

Just then, Grievous lifted his other foot and positioned it over Troc's head. He then looked into the Huk's eye one last time as he gave his answer.

"A bug."

And with that, his foot came down. And Troc's head was instantly crushed, a pool of greenish blood spilling onto the floor beneath him.

As Troc lay dead on the once-clean floor, Grievous turned his attention to the Huk's lightsaber, which had been deactivated and discarded by one of the damaged consoles. He walked over to the console and picked up the saber's hilt, examining it while he considered adding it to his collection.

In an instant, he recalled how Troc had forced him to wield this very blade and stab it through his father's chest so many years ago.

Upon recalling this memory, he promptly took out the hilt's orange crystal and crushed it in his hand, rendering the weapon useless and dropping it back down onto the floor.

Then, he heard someone call out to him.

"General!"

He turned toward the door and saw Dooku and Ventress on the bridge with their lightsabers drawn. Dooku spoke to Grievous in an urgent manner.

"The ship is falling toward Kalee! What happened in…?!"

He then noticed all of the destroyed consoles, as well as Pru Troc's headless body lying on the ground.

Grievous attempted to explain himself.

"I…"

But Dooku cut him off.

"Inform me later."

The Count turned his attention to his apprentice as he put away his lightsaber.

"Ventress. We must guide the ship into the river."

Nodding in agreement, Ventress put away her own weapon and stood by her master. They both then used the Force to guide the falling ship into the river below, while Grievous braced himself against one of the damaged consoles.

As he prepared for the coming impact, he suddenly noticed his Lig sword lying on the floor by one of the windows. And for a moment, he considered going over to retrieve it.


	61. Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Unknown - 5 Years Ago

Qymaen opened his eyes.

He couldn't feel anything.

And all he could see was a dimly lit room behind a curved glass wall.

Then, as he looked around, he realized that he was submerged in bacta. And that a breathing apparatus was now covering his mouth.

Suddenly, a door slid open. And a tall, elderly human stepped into the adjoining room. The human studied Qymaen for a moment before speaking to him.

"General Grievous, I presume?"

Qymaen's throat and vocal cords were gone. So rather than speak, he instead communicated via a vocoder attached to whatever remained of his head.

"Who…are you? Where…am I?"

The synthetic voice seemed almost alien to Qymaen, as if someone else was speaking for him. But nevertheless, the human responded.

"I am Count Dooku of Serenno. And you are currently in a location that I sadly cannot disclose to you at the moment."

"What happened? Where is my ship?"

"You were attacked by a small squadron of Jedi starfighters, who in turn caused you to crash into an oncoming asteroid. Unfortunately, the majority of your body did not survive. Only your eyes, spinal cord and vital organs were left intact."

"But…my…body…"

Qymaen tried desperately to move his arms, legs or head. But when he did, nothing happened.

His entire body was gone.

"It is a miracle you were still alive when we found you. My associate San Hill will be pleased to learn of your survival."

"But…what now? What will happen to me?"

"Well, as it just so happens General…I have a _proposal_ for you. You can either spend the rest of your days in this bacta tank… _or_ allow my associates and I to place your remains into a new cyborg body. In this body, you will be stronger than _ever_ before, and continue killing Jedi at our behest. You will _also_ become the leader of a fearsome _droid army_ that we will soon be sending against the Republic. We will even provide you with a new base of operations to accommodate you, your roggwart and the rest of your personal belongings. You will become the most feared being in the galaxy. An unstoppable force that will _finally_ bring the Jedi to their knees. But _only_ if you say yes."

For nearly a minute, Qymaen was silent as he thought to himself. And then, he gave his answer.

"No."

The Count raised an eyebrow.

"Why do you say _that_?"

Qymaen's eyes looked down toward the floor.

"I gave up _everything_ to destroy the Jedi. My home, my friends, my family…and for _what_? So I could become a walking pile of organs and serve at your beck and call? I've wasted my life on the Jedi. And to be honest with you…I just want it all to _end_ already."

His eyes closed.

"So please. Unplug this tank and allow me to die. Death is the only peace I have left now."

"I urge you to reconsider, General. May I offer you _another_ favor in return for your servitude?"

"What else could you _possibly_ offer me?"

"Join our cause…and I will have my droid army drive the Huk away from Kalee. _And_ give your people as many supplies as they need."

Qymaen's eyes opened.

"Accept my offer and I promise that the Kaleesh will never again suffer at the hands of the Huk. And with your world both protected and provided for, you will be able to continue your crusade against the Jedi Order without any regrets or interruptions. So, General…do you accept?"

Qymaen was deep in thought now.

His whole life up to this point had been wasted.

He'd spent so many years trying to save Kalee, but nothing he'd done had truly worked.

He'd lost so much and accomplished so little.

But now, there was this human, Dooku, offering him a chance to end both the Huk War _and_ the Jedi Order, in exchange for his undying loyalty.

He'd fought so many battles.

Lost so many of his people.

Sacrificed so much of his humanity.

He wasn't just going to let it all be in vain.

It _had_ to have been for something.

He _had_ to have some kind of purpose.

Some kind of higher calling that he'd failed to see before.

Some kind of part to play in this upcoming war between the Jedi and Dooku's army.

And if the Jedi _were_ going to fall, if they were _finally_ going to be punished for everything they'd done…then Qymaen _had_ to be there for it.

Not just to watch it, but to _lead_ it.

To lead his new army to the heart of Coruscant and burn the Jedi Temple to the ground.

To strike down every last remaining Jedi and take their weapons as trophies.

To rid the galaxy of their evil once and for all and finally be at peace.

He wouldn't die now.

He would live.

He would fight.

And no matter what, he would win.

So without any hesitation, without any fear or guilt or regret holding him back, Qymaen gave Dooku his final answer.

"I accept."


	62. Chapter 62

Chapter 62

Kalee - Present

Silvya and the Izvoshra were standing out by the Bug Trap's entrance, watching as hundreds of Kaleesh prisoners made their way out of the prison. With Troc gone, they'd managed to kill the remaining guards, make their way back to the warden's office and free the rest of the captured Kaleesh. And while they hadn't encountered anymore Wild Pack personnel, they still kept their weapons ready just in case.

As Silvya stood guard with her rifle in hand, something in the distance caught her eye. Turning her head toward the sky, she noticed a large, glowing light that seemed to be falling about a mile away from the prison. And once the object broke through the parting clouds overhead, Silvya realized what it was.

Troc's ship; the Floating Gun.

Silvya called over to the Izvoshra and pointed at the falling ship.

"Look! Over there!"

The Izvoshra looked where Silvya was pointing and noticed the massive vessel plummeting into a nearby river. Ronderu then called her cadre to action.

"Everyone back to the cave! We need to grab our speeders and get to that ship! _Quickly_!"

…

A massive wave of water splashed onto the land as the Floating Gun crashed into the river. Any fires that had appeared on the ship's hull were suddenly put out, though the hull itself remained super heated and caused the surrounding water to boil. All of the ship's windows were broken, and its engines had been nearly blown out by the impact. It wouldn't be much longer before the entire ship succumbed to its own weight and fell apart in the river.

With little time to spare, Dooku, Ventress and Grievous all leapt out from the bridge of the ship through the once closed-off windows that had been blown open in the crash. Steadily making their way down the bow of the dungeon ship, they soon reached the bottom and landed on the ground. And not even a minute later, the massive vessel fell over onto its side, causing bits of burned metal and plastoid to go flying in every direction. Dooku and Ventress both used the Force to detect and avoid the falling debris, while Grievous remained completely still.

As the final few pieces of debris fell onto the soaked grass beneath his feet, Grievous looked down at his hand. In his grasp was his family's Lig sword, which he had ultimately decided to take with him.

Just then, he heard the rumbling of engines in the far distance. He looked in the direction of the noise and saw the Izvoshra heading toward his position on their speeders, along with a human he didn't recognize.

A few seconds later, Silvya and the Izvoshra parked their speeders alongside the river and ran up to Grievous, Ventress and Dooku.

Silvya spoke first to Ventress.

"What happened? Where's Troc?"

Ventress' eyes moved in Grievous' direction.

" _He_ crashed the ship _and_ killed Troc."

Silvya's face lit up.

"Really? Can _I_ see?"

Ventress gestured toward the crashed ship.

"Be my guest."

A massive chunk of the ship's hull then broke off and fell onto the other side of the river.

Silvya took note of this and declined Ventress' offer.

"…I'm good, actually."

Ronderu immediately recognized the old man standing between Grievous and Ventress.

"…Count Dooku?"

The Count took note of Ronderu and her warriors.

"You are the _Izvoshra_ , correct?"

"Yeah. What are _you_ doing back here?"

"I originally came to retrieve these two _subordinates_ of mine. However, it seems that this world has fallen into disarray since I was last here."

"Yes. After your droid army drove the Huk way, the Wild Pack came and took over Kalee, along with a few other Wild Space worlds."

"I see…"

Dooku considered this for a moment.

"My associates and I will look into this dilemma further. Then, we will decide the best course of action to take. Just out of curiosity…would you be willing to align yourselves with the Separatists once order is restored here?"

Ronderu crossed her arms.

"Depends on how well your _Separatists_ do their job."

The Count nodded.

"Of course. I look forward to discussing a possible alliance in the future."

…

Dooku spoke with the Izvoshra while he and Grievous waited for a solar sailer to come pick them up. Meanwhile, Ventress bid farewell to Silvya, who was getting ready to leave on her speeder.

"Are you sure you don't want a ride off world?"

Sylvia shrugged.

"Eh…I'll be fine. I prefer traveling alone anyway."

"Going to find your sister?"

"Yep. Or at least _try_ to. Last time I saw her, she was heading off to Pasaana. Maybe if I go there first, I'll get some kinda lead on where she is now."

"Good luck."

"Thanks. I doubt I'll convince her to leave the Jedi, but…I just wanna make sure she's okay."

"Still going to be a bounty hunter?"

"Probably. It's the only job I've had so far that's been somewhat tolerable. But I'm gonna have to work hard to make a name for myself. In a universe full of bounty hunters, it's hard to stand out above the crowd."

"Really?"

"Yeah. If you're not memorable enough, you just get tossed aside. Ever heard of Kul Teska?"

"Who?"

" _Exactly_. So I've gotta make sure people remember the name _Silvya Sharpshot_."

"That's your real name?"

Silva chuckled.

"Of _course_ not. But hey. It's better than _Kul Teska_ , right?"

"Definitely."

Silvya climbed onto her speeder and put her hands on the steering handles.

" _Oh_. Asajj. Can I give you some advice?"

"Sure."

She then lifted her visor, showing her green eyes.

"Don't stay with that jerk forever, okay? Try to find someone who actually _cares_ about you and wants the best for you. And once you do, hold onto them. Promise me you'll do that?"

After considering Silvya's advice for a second or two, Ventress nodded.

"Alright. I promise."

Silvya smiled.

"Great! Hopefully, we'll cross paths _again_ someday."

She then lowered her visor and started up her speeder's engine.

"Say hi to your sisters for me! And make sure not to lose that outfit! It's _wizard_!"

A split second later, her speeder flew by Ventress, heading off northward past the Bug Trap. As Ventress watched Silvya slowly disappear into the distance, Grievous walked up beside her.

"Who was that?"

"…A friend."

"You have friends?"

"Shut up."


	63. Chapter 63

Chapter 63

Sarrish - 1 Year Ago

A human man ran through the wreckage of a fallen Republic Star Destroyer. He held onto a bleeding gash by his right hip as he ran for cover beneath a wall of debris. The area was filled with the sounds of droids marching, blasters firing and soldiers screaming. Once the man reached cover, he yelled into his comm link while breathing heavily.

"This is Master Tholme! Can anyone hear me? _Anyone_?"

Static.

"The Sith are hunting me! I need backup _now_!"

More static.

"Somebody _please_ answer me!"

A few more seconds of static. Then, the comm link exploded on his wrist. Tholme reeled back in shock, holding up his hand to cover his scarred face. After recovering from the sudden explosion, he sensed a familiar presence nearby.

Looking back the way he came, Tholme noticed a small fire burning just a couple meters away from him. Suddenly, the fire parted; and through the flames walked a tall, cloaked figure with a curved saber hilt in each hand. As the fire closed behind them, they looked over toward Tholme and took off their hood, revealing their pale, tattooed face. The figure then calmly called over to the injured Jedi.

"Master Tholme. Your angel of death awaits you."

A blood red blade sprung from each of their hands.

Tholme responded by activating his own green blade.

"You will never defeat me, Sith."

A smirk graced the figure's lips.

"I already have."

And with that, they leapt from the fire and engaged the Jedi Master.

Tholme tried to block as many of their attacks as he could while he held the wound by his hip. But the Sith was too quick for him, overwhelming him with strike after strike from multiple angles at once. After only a few minutes of fighting, the Sith spun their right saber by Tholme's left hand, disarming him and causing him to drop his blade. They then struck the Jedi's wound with their left saber, causing him to scream in agony as blood spilled onto the ground.

Exhausted and bleeding severely, Tholme fell onto his knees as the Sith held their lightsabers to his throat in a scissor-like cross.

The Sith then looked the Jedi in the eyes and gave him a single command.

"Surrender."

Staring deep into the Sith's eyes, Tholme went quiet for a moment before lowering his head in defeat.

"Very well."

Grinning with satisfaction, the Sith deactivated one of their sabers and used their free hand to seize the Jedi's discarded blade. As they studied the blade's hilt in their hand, Tholme spoke amidst exasperated breaths.

"I sense…much fear in you, child."

He looked back up at the Sith's face.

"I sense…doubt…uncertainty…regret…"

Placing the Jedi's lightsaber in their pocket, the Sith scoffed at his claims.

"I have no regrets about what I've done here today."

"Not _yet_ perhaps…"

Tholme coughed up blood.

"…but _I_ sense the good in you. Your empathy...your selflessness...your hesitance to carry out your master's orders…."

" _Silence_."

The Sith reactivated their other blade, holding it back up to Tholme's throat.

But Tholme continued nonetheless.

"You _are_ a good person…I know it…Your master knows it…And deep down…so do you."

"I said _silence_!"

The Sith's blades trembled in their hands. And as they prepared to deliver the final blow, Tholme smiled.

"And even if you strike me down…I shall continue to live on through the Force. And hopefully…someday… _you_ will as well."

He closed his eyes and reached out with the Force.

"Quinlan…T'ra… _Goodbye_."

Then, as Ventress severed Tholme's head from his body, she felt a brief tinge of something she had _never_ sensed in a Jedi before.

Love.


	64. Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Kalee - Present

While Ventress spoke with Dooku, Grievous watched as Ronderu discussed the situation with the rest of the Izvoshra.

For a moment, he considered trying to make amends with her one last time.

But would she even _listen_ to him at this point?

After he'd abandoned her yet again for the sake of a Jedi?

After she'd learned of all the lives he'd taken over the years?

After she'd told him to stay out of her life forever?

Perhaps not.

Though then again…perhaps it was not too late.

Perhaps he could get her to understand.

Perhaps he could earn her forgiveness.

Perhaps he could make things better.

He recalled what Dooku had said to him in private just a minute ago.

 _I will not punish you for this outburst, General. But in exchange, you must_ never _visit this planet again. Or else my_ master _will show you what it_ truly _means to disobey a Sith._

If these were _truly_ his last moments on Kalee…his last moments with Ronderu…then he _had_ to try just one final time.

He _had_ to.

And so, after closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Grievous approached the Izvoshra and stood before Ronderu.

Turning away from her cadre, Ronderu's expression changed upon seeing the General standing before her. Grievous could tell from her body language and the look in her eyes that she had lost all patience with him. Her voice dripped with cynicism as she spoke.

"So. You're leaving again?"

Grievous reluctantly nodded.

"Yes. But I want you to know that I'm truly sorry for…"

"Stop."

Grievous' eyes widened.

"What?"

"I _know_ what you're going to say. And I _know_ that you don't really mean it."

"But…"

"You know what your problem is? You keep doing the same things and making the same mistakes over and over again. And instead of actually _changing_ yourself or _learning_ from your mistakes, you just keep feeling sorry for yourself and begging others for forgiveness."

"I…"

"You like to _pretend_ that you had no choice in the matter and that all of the terrible things you did weren't actually _your_ fault. But the fact of the matter is that it wasn't the _Huk_ or the _Jedi_ or even the death of your _father_ that made you this way. It was _you_. It was _always_ you. And at the end of the day, you have no one to blame but yourself."

"Everything I've _ever_ done has been for _Kalee_."

"Do you _really_ believe that? Or do you just _tell_ yourself that to make yourself feel better? To pretend that you're making some kind of grand sacrifice for us when you're _really_ just out for revenge?"

"It's not just revenge…"

"So you _admit_ it?"

" _No_! I mean…Of _course_ I want the Jedi to pay for what they've done! But that's only _part_ of the reason why I'm doing this!"

"If _that's_ the case, then why didn't you at least come to _check_ on us every once in a while?"

"I was… _distracted_ …"

"By _what_?"

"The Jedi!"

Grievous was getting angry now. But Ronderu didn't stop.

"It's awfully convenient that you keep getting distracted by the Jedi, even though you've _clearly_ been thinking about us. I mean why _else_ would you be carrying that _sword_ around with you?"

Ronderu gestured toward the Lig sword in Grievous' belt.

"But I came _back_ , didn't I?!"

"Oh yeah, and just look at all the _good_ you've done here! Chasing after _Troc_ , leaving us all to _die_ , killing your own _soldiers_ …"

"That wasn't my fault!"

Ronderu pointed at him.

"That's it! That's _exactly_ what I'm talking about! It's never _your_ fault! It's always someone or something else that _makes_ you do these things! You're not a _droid_ , Qymaen! There's no one _programming_ you to do this crap! It's all _you_!"

Grievous' fists tightened.

"If _you_ went through what I did, you'd have done the same!"

" _No_! I _wouldn't_ have! And do you know _why_?!"

Ronderu took a step forward. She was shouting now.

"Because _I'm_ not a selfish, entitled little _brat_ who throws a tantrum when he doesn't get what he wants! Who uses his own father as a _scapegoat_ for whatever awful thing he did that day! Who acts as though there's some greater purpose to his crimes and then throws a pity party for himself whenever things don't go his way!"

She took another step forward, her face now only a few inches from Grievous'.

"But that's _exactly_ what you are, Qymaen! Just a spoiled little kid who can't accept the fact that he's a _monster_!"

Grievous shouted back at her.

"I'm _not_ a monster!"

"Yes you are! You're a murderer and a coward! And you probably can't think of anything else to say to me now because you _know_ that I'm right! But you're just gonna keep saying and doing the same things over and over again until that broken down old body of yours _finally_ gives out! In fact, I take back what I said before! You _are_ a droid, Qymaen! Just an empty, sad, pathetic droid doomed to repeat the same mistakes for the rest of his life! And as far as _I'm_ concerned, that's all you'll _ever_ be!"

Suddenly, a blue blade sprung from Grievous' hand as he lifted one of his lightsabers into the air. Ronderu quickly jumped back, arming herself as Tillodei and the rest of the Izvoshra prepared to defend her.

But then, almost immediately, Grievous froze; his eyes wide with horror at the realization of what he had just done.

A moment or two passed as neither party made any kind of move. Then, with shame in his eyes, Grievous lowered his weapon and switched it off. The Izvoshra then began to lower their weapons as well, though Ronderu and Tillodei both kept theirs out just in case. For what seemed like an eternity, Grievous stared into Ronderu's eyes, her once cynical expression now one of pure anger and resentment. Then, with her hands still tightly wrapped around her blades, she spoke two final words to the man she once considered to be her friend.

"Leave. Now."

...

A few minutes later, a solar sailer broke through the clouds above and landed near the remains of the Floating Gun. Ronderu and the rest of the Izvoshra then watched as Grievous, Ventress and Dooku all walked toward the ship.

For a brief moment, Grievous stopped where he was and looked back at Ronderu. By this point, he was too far away for her to read whatever expression was on his face; and frankly, she didn't want to.

The Qymaen she knew was gone.

He may have never even existed.

The _real_ Qymaen may have always been the one that was staring at her right now.

A mindless drone who fought only for personal satisfaction.

Who sacrificed his freedom for power and glory.

Who existed for no other reason than to kill and destroy.

Who would eventually die alone and in pain on a random planet at the hands of a random Jedi.

Whose search for purpose had left him with no purpose at all.

This was Qymaen jai Sheelal.

And as soon as his master called for him, he turned away from his people one last time and stepped inside the solar sailer.

As the ship's cockpit closed, Tillodei placed a hand on Ronderu's shoulder.

"He's not worth it, Ru. He never was."

The ship lifted off the ground.

"No. I guess he wasn't."

And in a matter of seconds, it was gone.


	65. Chapter 65

Chapter 65

Hypori - 1 Year Ago

K'Kruhk tried to catch his breath.

"Unstoppable…He is… _unstoppable_ …"

Shaak Ti was holding one of her wounded lekku.

"Never have we been outmaneuvered by _droids_. His strategy is without flaw."

The Padawan Sha'a Gi was leaned up against a wall.

"This is the end…We're all doomed…"

Ki-Adi-Mundi spoke up as Tarr Seirr and Aayla Secura tended to their injuries.

"Our predicament is dire. But do not despair. _Focus_. We are…"

" _Jedi_."

As a deep, metallic voice boomed from outside their small fort, the six Jedi quickly drew out their lightsabers and stood guard by the entrance. Each of them waited with bated breath as the inhuman voice continued.

"You are surrounded. Your army is decimated. Make peace with the Force now. For this is your final hour. But know that I, General Grievous, am not _completely_ without mercy. I will grant you a warrior's death. _Prepare_."

The voice ceased. And then, footsteps.

Light, metallic footsteps that seemed to emanate from everywhere at once.

The Jedi stood their guard while they attempted to locate their foe. Tarr Seirr tried to peer past the debris surrounding the entrance.

"I can't see anything…"

Shaak Ti focused on every footstep that came from outside.

"That noise…"

Ki-Adi-Mundi sensed the General's presence through the Force.

"He is coming. Alone."

Sha'a Gi was beginning to panic.

"We can't face him!"

Mundi remained calm.

"We must try, Padawan."

Klik. Klak. Klik. Klak.

For minutes on end, the sounds seemed to mock the Jedi, who could only stand still and wait for their pursuer to show himself.

Tarr Seirr was growing impatient.

"It's close…but _where_?"

Sha'a Gi's heart was racing.

"It's all around us…"

But Mundi did not falter.

"Calm yourself."

He waited.

Klik. Klak. Klik. Klak.

"Steady…"

Klik. Klak.

" _Steady_ …"

Silence.

Not a single sound save for the humming of lightsabers.

Sha'a Gi's eyes darted to every corner of the fort.

Nothing.

Nothing.

And then, a scream.

His green blade in hand, Sha'a Gi charged through the fort's entrance.

Mundi called to him.

" _No_!"

But as soon as the young Padawan stepped outside, a twisted mass of metal leapt down from above and swung a lightsaber through his neck, decapitating and killing him instantly.

The rest of the Jedi watched in horror as the Padawan's horrified face struck the ground along with his headless body. Their attention then turned toward the skeletal creature looming above them. A nightmarish cyborg with two reptilian eyes and a collection of lightsabers at his waist.

This was the monster who'd been hunting the Jedi for the past few months.

This was the Separatists' ace in the hole.

This was Dooku's ultimate weapon.

This was General Grievous.

And without uttering a single word, he leapt at the five Jedi before him.

A flurry of light and sound erupted within the fort as the Jedi defended themselves against the General's attacks. Grievous' four arms spun, flipped and jutted out at his prey, forcing the Jedi to remain on the defensive and refrain themselves from attacking outright. Despite the cyborg's lack of Force sensitivity, his incessant movement and relentless advances kept the Jedi on their feet the entire time, making it nigh impossible for them to focus long enough to use the Force against their attacker.

As the fight went on, each of the five Jedi grew exhausted from the constant blocking, dodging and parrying, while Grievous' cybernetic body allowed him to continue on without getting tired.

Eventually, some of the Jedi began to falter during the fight, leaving them open to the General's attacks and unable to defend themselves.

The first to fall was K'Kruhk, who was struck across the hip and then through the spine, leaving him dead at the General's feet.

The second was Tarr Seirr, whose head was seized by Grievous' foot and slammed down onto the ground, snapping his neck in the process.

While Shaak Ti and Ki-Adi-Mundi continued the fight, Aayla Secura contacted Commander Bly via comlink.

"Commander! We need you here _now_!"

Bly quickly responded.

"We're on our way, sir!"

Mace Windu's voice came through as well.

"Get to the fallen Dreadnought! We'll meet you there!"

Aayla nodded.

"Understood."

She then called over to Ti and Mundi.

"We need to get back to the dreadnought!"

Without a moment to spare, the other two Jedi abandoned their fight and followed Aayla out of the fort, with Grievous following close behind.

As the three surviving Jedi ran through fields of debris, Grievous crawled after them on all four limbs, leaping from wall to wall to avoid the objects being thrown at him by his prey. The chase lasted for a few minutes before the Jedi finally reached a crashed Separatist dreadnought. And floating in front of the dreadnought was a Republic LAAT gunship.

The front of the gunship was decorated with graffiti, giving it a face with angry, yellow eyes and razor sharp teeth. As the three Jedi ran toward the ship, its side entrance opened, revealing the occupants inside.

Standing in the entrance was Mace Windu, along with Commander Bly, Captain Fordo and the rest of the Muunilinst 10.

Once Ti, Mundi and Secura were close enough, they all leapt up from the ground and used the Force to propel themselves toward the gunship. Upon reaching the ship, they were taken in by the accompanying ARC troopers, who then immediately fired upon General Grievous.

Leaping up into the maze of debris above him, Grievous dodged blast after blast as he quickly made his way toward the gunship. Mundi shouted at the troopers to continue firing.

"Shoot him down! Shoot him down!"

But Grievous was getting closer. He was now within jumping range of the gunship, and he was more than ready to continue the fight.

While the pilots kept the gunship stable in the air, Windu focused himself and reached out with the Force.

Then, as Grievous leapt at the gunship with four lightsabers bared, the Jedi Master held out his right hand.

And with that, Grievous froze in mid-air.

With the General now in his grip, Windu proceeded to close his hand, crushing Grievous' chest and puncturing his lungs.

Then, with one quick motion, Windu pushed Grievous away, causing him to fly back and collide with a tall slab of metal jutting out from the ground.

With the General subdued, Windu shouted at the ship's pilots.

"Get us out of here! _Now_!"

The pilots nodded in response.

"Yes, sir!"

And a few seconds later, the gunship quickly closed back up and flew away with the surviving Jedi.

As Grievous attempted to push himself up off the ground, the damage to his chest caused him to cough violently for minutes on end, his once subtle pains now becoming unbearable.

Once the coughing finally ceased, Grievous slowly stood up and limped back toward the now abandoned fort. With Ti, Mundi and Secura gone, all that was left were the corpses of Sha'a Gi, K'Kruhk and Tarr Seirr. As Grievous collected the fallen Jedi's lightsabers, he looked toward the sky and spoke with a voice that was now far more rough and distorted than before.

"Run, Jedi... _Run_...You have only prolonged the inevitable..."

Grievous may have become more droid than Kaleesh, but he still possessed all of the emotions that he had felt throughout his early life.

Pride.

Anger.

Impatience.

Obsession.

And most of all…

Hate.


	66. Chapter 66

Chapter 66

The Invisible Hand - Present

"Well done."

Dooku's anger was gone. Ventress could sense it. Grievous could hear it in his voice.

"Despite your earlier outburst, General, both you and Asajj Ventress were able to uncover and eliminate a serious threat to the Separatist movement. Therefore, I must commend the two of you for your actions on this day."

Grievous kept his Lig sword hidden within his cape.

"What will happen to Kalee?"

"My master and I will decide the best course of action to take regarding the presence of this… _Wild Pack._ Rest assured, all of the worlds in their possession _will_ be secured in due time. In the meantime, General, I would like to present you with a _gift_."

He motioned toward the bridge of the ship they were standing in.

"I am putting you in command of this dreadnought; the Invisible Hand. It will serve you well, so long as you remain loyal to the Separatist Alliance."

Grievous bowed his head.

"Understood, my lord."

Dooku then turned toward his apprentice.

"As for _you_ , Ventress, I am _especially_ pleased with your progress as of late. You have become far more powerful than I previously anticipated. As such, I have decided to give you a _special_ assignment. In a few months, we will be sending a sizable fleet to take control of the Sullust system. And I would like _you_ to lead them against the Republic forces. I expect nothing short of total victory from you."

Ventress bowed her head as well.

"Yes, Master. Thank you."

Dooku nodded.

"Now. I must ask that you both report to this ship's medical center immediately. Both of you have sustained heavy injuries over the past few hours, and I would prefer _not_ to lose my two best subordinates over such trivial things."

After bowing to their master once more, Grievous and Ventress both walked toward the nearest blast door and exited the bridge. Then, as soon they were gone, Dooku promptly turned to the console behind him and knelt down on one knee.

The very next moment, a bright, distorted projection of an old, hooded human appeared before him. The human's voice was unnaturally rough, almost as if they were altering it as they spoke.

"Lord Tyranus."

The Count lowered his head in acknowledgement.

"Lord Sidious."

"Has the General returned from his…vacation?"

"Yes, my lord. And Pru Troc is no more."

Sidious smiled.

"Then this little excursion has transpired _exactly_ as I'd hoped it would. By destroying Grievous' assortment of Kaleesh artifacts, you motivated him to return to his homeworld and for _Ventress_ to go after him. Then once on Kalee, they were both faced with the temptation to remain there and destroy their past enemies; a temptation which _you_ aided in by denying your assassin any kind of assistance in her escape. And in the end, not _only_ were their loyalties to us _proven_ , but the leader of this rival Wild Pack was _easily_ eliminated without us having to dispense _any_ of our resources to do so."

"And once the remainder of the Wild Pack is dealt with, the liberated Wild Space worlds shall graciously align themselves with the Separatists."

" _Exactly_ , my apprentice. A powerful Jedi Master has been killed, the Wild Pack has lost its leader, and _we_ have only gained more potential allies to our cause."

"Your foresight is immaculate as always, Master. However, while Grievous _did_ ultimately return to us, he is _still_ highly unstable, and I fear that this may happen again in the future. Perhaps instructing the Kaminoans to not tamper with his mind during the operation was a mistake."

"What do you propose we _do_ then, Count?"

"I suggest returning him to the Kaminoans as soon as possible, so that they may eliminate any hints of defiance still lingering in his mind."

"Perhaps they could imbue him with an _inhibitor chip_ , similar to the ones used for the clones."

"Shall I instruct the Kaminoans to do so, my lord?"

"…Yes. It shall be done. And what of your _disciple_? Do you fear any further defiance from _her_?"

"No. She has more than proven her loyalty to the Sith. And her power continues to grow at an unforeseeable rate. During a confrontation with the Wild Pack, she used the dark side to crush the skulls of over a _hundred_ guards at _once_."

Sidious paused for a moment, his half-hidden face showing a hint of surprise.

"…Impressive…Even _I_ have never accomplished such a feat…"

Dooku's voice swelled with pride.

"She truly is a prodigy, Master. And she will no doubt lead us to victory."

Sidious' voice carried a hint of apprehension.

"…Indeed…"

"So what shall we do _now_ , my lord?"

Sidious folded his hands.

"...For now, we shall focus on liberating the Wild Space worlds still under the Wild Pack's control. Then, we will begin preparing for the invasion of _another_ major Republic world."

"And which world would _that_ be, Master?"

Sidious' lips curved upward into a light smile.

" _Huk_."

"The home of the ones who enslaved Grievous' people?"

"Yes. The General has _certainly_ proven his loyalty to us. Therefore, I believe we should _reward_ him. With the destruction of the final thing still tethering him to his past."

Dooku nodded.

"Yes, Master."

"Since before the war began, the Yam'rii have been one of the Republic's largest suppliers of food, medicine and raw materials. Once they are taken care of, the Republic's war effort will be permanently stunted. And the engines of this war will once again turn in our favor. After many losses and humiliations, the Sith shall at _last_ have the upper hand. And _then_ …"

Dooku grinned as he finished his master's sentence.

"Victory."

…

As they entered a long hallway, Grievous turned away from Ventress and began heading in the opposite direction. Ventress called over to him.

"The medical center is _this_ way."

Grievous stopped where he was and turned back toward Ventress.

"I know. But there is something I must do first. I will be there shortly."

Ventress shrugged to herself and continued on toward the medical center. But then, Grievous called over to her.

" _Assassin_."

Ventress stopped and faced the General once more.

Grievous hesitated for a moment before continuing.

"I just wanted to…extend my gratitude toward you."

Ventress raised an eyebrow.

"You're… _thanking_ me?"

"…Yes. If it hadn't been for you…I may not have survived against Troc _or_ his Wild Pack. I…owe you my life."

A smile graced Ventress' face as she slowly stepped toward Grievous.

"I'm not surprised you needed my help, General."

She then held the bottom of his mask as she stared into his eyes.

"After all…"

Then, without warning, she rammed her fist into his chest, causing him to fall onto his knees and cough violently. While the General was knelt down on the floor, Ventress turned back around and happily walked away, her smile becoming a gleeful smirk.

"…I've _always_ been greater than you."

…

A few minutes later, Ventress was in the ship's medical center, sitting down on a bench while a medical droid stitched up one of her wounds. As they did so, she turned over her left arm and looked down at a mark on her wrist.

The mark was that of her coven; a black circle with its bottom half filled in, and another circle inside of it with its top half filled in. The mark reminded Ventress of the day the Wild Pack took her from her mother, bringing her into a life of endless violence and abandonment.

But it wouldn't be that way for much longer.

 _Soon_ , Ventress told herself.

 _Soon, I'll be done with my training. Soon, the Jedi will be destroyed. And then, I'll leave the Sith behind and live the life I_ want _to live._

Ventress would remain loyal to Dooku for now. But in time, she _would_ leave him.

And once she did, she knew _exactly_ where she would go.

…

Meanwhile, Grievous stood outside on the bow of the Invisible Hand, looking out at the infinite expanse of darkness before him.

He had made his choice. He had abandoned his people one last time to continue his crusade against the Jedi. And now, he finally understood why.

He finally understood his carelessness toward the Kaleesh.

His devotion to destroying the Jedi Order.

And most of all, that dream he'd had on Kalee.

Ronderu had been right.

It hadn't been the Huk, or the Jedi, or even the death of his father that had made him this way.

He had _always_ been this way.

Since he was a child, his actions had _always_ been driven by a desire to keep things the way _he_ wanted them to be.

Not out of a desire to help others, or to end suffering, or to make the galaxy a better place.

But rather to satisfy his _own_ needs. His _own_ goals. His _own_ cravings and obsessions.

Time and time again, he had told himself that what he was doing was for the greater good.

But in reality, it was only for _himself_.

For what _he_ wanted.

For what he felt was rightfully _his_.

Qymaen jai Sheelal had _never_ been a hero.

He had _never_ been good or kind or selfless.

He had _always_ been selfish.

He had _always_ been evil.

He had _always_ been a monster.

He had _always_ been Grievous.

It wasn't until he had tried to be Qymaen again that he had finally realized that.

But now, at this very moment, he would finally rid himself of the facade he'd worn since the day of his birth, and embrace the person he _really_ was.

Reaching into his cape, he took out his family's Lig sword. And as he gazed upon it in the cold vacuum of space, he saw only a reminder of a man who had never truly existed.

Grievous held out the sword in his rusted, metallic hand. And then, without another thought, he released his grip, and watched as the blade slowly drifted away, until it finally vanished into the darkness.

There was no Qymaen.

There was only Grievous.

And he would never leave again.


	67. Epilogue

Epilogue

Dathomir - 2 Years Later

"I'm sorry, Asajj."

Silvya stared at the green lake in front of her. Within it rested Asajj Ventress, whose body had been preserved by the unique properties of the planet's water. Her previous attire had been replaced by robes similar to those worn by the Jedi. And the twelve marks that once decorated her face had begun to fade away.

Silvya kept her visor in her pocket as she spoke.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you. I tried to find you. I _really_ did. But you just covered your tracks so well that I couldn't get a lead on where you were."

A somber smile appeared on her face.

"I guess you were just too good for me, huh?"

The smile then faded as she sighed to herself.

"When Quinlan told me what happened…I wanted to come here as soon as I _could_ , but…then something _really_ bad happened. To the Jedi. And I'd _just_ found my sister, too. I _had_ to get her out of there. And I _did_. She's safe now. But…"

She closed her eyes.

"…I just wish I could've saved _you_ , too."

She opened them again as she looked down at Asajj's face.

"I don't know that much about the Force. But I _do_ know that you're supposed to become one with it when you die. So…for whatever it's worth…I hope you're in a better place now."

"Silvya!"

Just then, Silvya looked up from the water and turned toward the voice calling to her.

It was her sister Goliida, running over to her through the surrounding fog. Silvya called back to her.

"What is it?"

Goliida then stopped in front of Silvya. She panted as she spoke.

" _Voices_ …out there…in the fog…they're _everywhere_ …"

"What're you talking about?"

"It's like the whole place is _haunted_ …"

"I haven't heard anything."

 _Take…_

Silvya's eyes shot open.

Goliida nodded.

"You hear it too."

 _Take…her…_

Silvya turned her head in every direction.

"Who is that? Who's there? Show yourself!"

The whispering continued.

 _Take…her…to…_

"Take who where?! Who _are_ you?!'

 _Take…her…to…us…_

"Who are you _talking_ about?!"

"Wait."

Goliida's gaze shifted toward the water where Ventress had been submerged.

"Maybe…"

Silvya shook her head.

"No way. Someone's probably just messing with us."

"You've _heard_ what the Nightsisters were capable of. What if they're asking us to _do_ something for them?"

"Asking us to do _what_?"

 _Take…her…to…us…_

"But she's already in the village! Where else do we need to _take_ her?"

 _The…slab…_

"Slab? _What_ slab?"

 _Follow…_

Just then, the surrounding fog formed a trail of green mist, leading from the water to a stone slab resting in the center of the village.

 _Take…her…to…the…slab…_

Silvya and Goliida stared at one another for a moment. Then, without speaking a word, they cautiously stepped into the water.

…

Both sisters followed the mist as they carried Ventress' body toward the slab. Goliida held up her head while Silvya held onto her feet. All the while, the whispers continued.

 _Bring her…_

 _Return her…_

 _Take her…_

 _The slab…_

 _Follow…_

 _Return…_

 _The slab…_

 _Take her…_

 _Bring her…_

Silvya shook her head.

"Why are we even doing this? We _shouldn't_ be doing this."

"I dunno. The Nightsisters seem pretty serious."

"We don't even _know_ if it's the Nightsisters."

"Well who else _could_ it be?"

"It could be _no one_. This could all just be an _illusion_ or something."

"Relax. We're doing the right thing. I can sense it. We just have to get her to that slab."

Silvya sighed.

"I hope you're right."

Less than a minute later, they reached the stone slab and placed Ventress' body on top of it. They then stepped back and watched as they waited for something to happen.

Seconds went by as Ventress lay completely still on the slab.

Silvya sighed and looked over at her sister.

"See? Nothing's happening. We're just wasting our…"

Goliida pointed at the slab.

" _Look_!"

Silvya then looked back at the slab and gasped.

Ventress was now surrounded by four more trails of green mist, each one extending from the surrounding water. The mist encircled Ventress' body for a moment before becoming a small vortex. As the vortex spun faster and faster, Ventress was slowly lifted up from the slab, her body now hovering in the air.

For minutes on end, the green mist completely encompassed Ventress' body, swirling around her and nearly touching her skin. As this went on, the Nightsisters' whispers started to intensify. Dozens of voices were all calling out at once, making it impossible for either Silvya or Goliida to understand any of them.

Soon, the whispers became more and more synchronized, eventually forming what seemed to be some kind of chant. While the chanting grew louder and louder, Ventress' entire body began to convulse within the mist, and all of her remaining wounds were slowly healed one after the other.

The ritual seemed to go on forever as Silvya and Goliida both watched in complete awe. They had heard many stories of what the Nightsisters had been capable of. But neither of them had ever imagined anything like this.

All of a sudden, the whispering voices began to fall silent. And as the surrounding mists slowly dissipated into thin air, Ventress' body gently fell back down onto the stone slab.

For the next few minutes, nothing happened.

Ventress lay completely still on the slab, her body now fully healed and restored to its original state.

Silvya and Goliida both stood frozen in place, waiting for whatever would happen next.

No one spoke.

No one moved.

No one did anything while Ventress remained motionless in the center of the village.

But then, her eyes opened.

She took a deep breath.

And for the first time in decades, she heard her mother's voice.

 _Welcome back, Asajj._


End file.
